Hibiscus

( hye - BISK - us )

At-A-Glance Information

Hibiscus is a genus of flowering perennials, annuals, and deciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees. They need full sun and regular water, and attract butterflies and hummingbirds, making them a choice shrub for gardeners looking to increase the biodiversity in their landscape. Their iconic flowers are large and beautiful, though not fragrant. Use Hibiscus shrubs as foundation plants, in mixed beds and borders, as specimens in the landscape (especially with species such as Hibiscus schizopetalus), or in containers on walkways or patios.

hibiscus Species and Varietals

The genus Hibiscus includes hundreds of species (35 of which are North American natives) and even more varietals, and is a member of the plant family Malvaceae. The best growing zones for Hibiscus vary by species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Hibiscus acetosella (Cranberry Hibiscus, African Rosemallow, False Roselle, Maroon Mallow, Red-Leaved Hibiscus, Red Shield Hibiscus)
This perennial hardy species of Hibiscus is thought to be a hybrid between Hibiscus asper and Hibiscus surattensis. It is native to Africa, and is known as an edible spinach-like green (with a sour taste). Plants can reach between 3 and 6 feet tall at maturity. Foliage is cranberry-red and flowers are deep pinkish-red.

Hibiscus aculeatus (Comfortroot, Pineland Hibiscus)
This species produces yellow flowers with dark red markings towards their centers. It is native to the southeastern United States, and prefers to grow in warm, tropical and subtropical climates. 

Hibiscus cannabinus (Deccan Hemp, Java Jute, Kenaf)
This species is native to Africa, and produces fibers that have similar characteristics to Jute. They are annual or biennial herbaceous plants that can reach up to 12 feet tall. Plants have a woody base, and produce white, yellow, or pink flowers with dark reddish-purple centers. Leaves are deeply lobed towards the base of the plant.

Hibiscus coccineus (Scarlet Rosemallow, Texas Star, Brilliant Hibiscus, Scarlet Hibiscus)
These plants are native to the southeastern United States, where they typically grow in swamps, marshes, and ditches. The species forms an herbaceous perennial that dies back to the ground during winter, and reaches between 6 and 8 feet tall. Variety 'Lone Star Hibiscus' has white flowers.

Hibiscus coulteri (Desert Rosemallow)
These plants are native to desert landscapes in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is a short-lived perennial, reaching up to 6 feet tall. Great for pollinators during dry periods, these plants grow without much water, and are perfect for xeriscaping.

Hibiscus dasycalyx (Neches River Rosemallow)
This critically endangered species is native to eastern Texas, where it grows in floodplains between high and low water levels. Individual plants reach up to 7.5 feet tall at maturity.

Hibiscus grandiflorus (Large-Flowered Hibiscus, Swamp Rosemallow)
This species is native to the southern United States and prefers to grow in tidal marshes, lakeshores, and other wet habitats. It forms a woody perennial plant that can reach up to 6 feet tall at maturity. Flowers are white to pinkish with reddish-purple centers and yellow stamens. They are typically over 6 inches across.

Hibiscus hamabo (Hardy Yellow Hibiscus)
This species is native to coastal areas in Japan, China, and Korea, and has bright yellow flowers with red centers. It forms a perennial shrub or small tree that has good salt tolerance and moderate drought tolerance. They range in height from 3 to 16 feet tall, and produce flowers that are up to 6 inches wide.

Hibiscus heterophyllus (Native Rosella, Toilet Paper Bush, Dtharang-gange)
This species can take the form of a shrub or small tree, and produces stems that have prickles. Flowers are yellow, white, or pale pink with dark red centers, and bloom from spring to summer. 

Hibiscus insularis (Phillip Island Hibiscus)
Native to a small island off of mainland Australia, this critically endangered species of hibiscus produces green-yellow flowers that fade to mauve. Foliage is green. 

Hibiscus laevis (Hibiscus militaris) (Halberd-Leaf rosemallow)
Native to central and eastern North America, this species produces very showy white to pinkish flowers. Blooms have dark pink to purple throats. It forms upright green stems and halberd-shaped green leaves.

Hibiscus lasiocarpos (Hairy-Fruited Hibiscus, Rosemallow)
These plants are native to the southeastern United States as well as some areas of California and northern Mexico. It forms a large, bushy herbaceous plant with sprawling stems. Leaves are green and heart-shaped. Flowers are white with red centers. 

Hibiscus mutabilis (Confederate Rose, Dixie Rosemallow, Cotton Rose, Cotton Rosemallow)
This is a deciduous shrub or tree that grows best in zones 4-24, H1 and H2. This is a native of China, and in the warmest climates can get to 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Behaves more like a perennial in colder zones. Flowers bloom in summer and are 4-6 inches wide, in white or pink to deep red in the evening. Variety 'Flore Peno' has double, rosy-pink flowers.

Hibiscus radiatus (Monarch Rosemallow)
This species is commonly grown for its medicinal and crop value, and produces foliage with odd-shaped lobes. It is native to southern and southeastern Asia, and produces mauve flowers with purple centers. Has small prickles.

​Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Chinese Hibiscus, Tropical Hibiscus, Hawaiian Hibiscus, Rose Mallow, Shoeblack Plant)
This evergreen shrub grows best in zones 9, 12-16, 19-24, H1 and H2. It can reach 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide, but is typically grown at 6-15 feet tall and 5-8 feet wide. Leaves are glossy and their shape depends on the variety. Flowers are single or double, and colors range from white, pink, and red to yellow, apricot and orange. Flowers only last one day, but the plant blooms continuously.

Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle)
This species is native to West Africa, and is naturalized in many areas around the world. Stems of these plants are harvested for their fibers, and calyces are dried and infused into tea. Individual plants reach up to 7-8 feet tall and green leaves have three to five lobes each. Flowers are pale yellow with dark red spots at their center and calyces are red.

Hibiscus schizopetalus (Fringed Rosemallow, Japanese Lantern, Coral Hibiscus, Spider Hibiscus)
This species reaches up to 10 feet tall, and produces red, salmon-colored, or pink flowers with frilled, recurved petals. These are very highly prized ornamental plants. They are native to tropical areas in eastern Africa.

​Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon, Shrub Althea, Syrian Ketmia)
This is a deciduous shrub that grows best in zones 2-24 and H1. Native to eastern Asia, this species grows to 10-12 feet tall and 6 feet wide. This shrub is easily trained to a single-trunk tree or as an espalier or hedge. Blossoms are single, semi-double or double. This species is the national flower of South Korea.

Hibiscus tiliaceus (Sea Hibiscus, Coast Cottonwood, Kurrajong, Sea Rosemallow, Dhigga, Green Cottonwood)
These plants are native to pantropical coastlines, and reach between 13 and 33 feet tall when they are mature. Flowers are bright yellow with deep red centers that deepen in color to orange and then red in the same day before falling from the plant. Leaves are heart shaped and green. Variety Hibiscus tiliaceus rubra has red foliage. 

Hibiscus trionum (Flower-Of-An-Hour, Bladder Hibiscus, Bladder Ketmia, Bladder Weed, Puarangi, Venice Mallow)
This species is an annual plant, and is native to tropical and subtropical regions. It is generally considered weedy in North America. Plants can reach up to 20 inches tall, and produce white to yellow flowers with purple centers. 

Caring for and pruning Hibiscus shrubs

Grow Hibiscus shrubs in springtime in full sun exposure in acidic (with a pH of between 6.5 and 6.8), rich soil that is kept moist but is well-draining. They can be grown either in-ground in the garden, in containers, or indoors. Keep soil moist, especially when grown in containers, where they will need more regular waterings. Hibiscus, although they prefer full sun, like a little afternoon shade especially in warmer climates. These plants are cold-sensitive, and will suffer if daytime temperatures don't stay between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and nighttime temperatures fall below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Mulch around the base of these shrubs to increase soil moisture retention. Hibiscus shrubs need fertilizing to grow well; amend soil with plenty of organic material before planting, and feed regularly (especially during the summer months). A slow-release high potassium fertilizer or one that is good for acid-loving plants will do well, applied about once every two weeks. Withhold waterings (for those grown in ground) and feedings in wintertime when the plant is in its dormant stage. Prune regularly to achieve a handsome shape and encourage more blooms to pop.

Harvesting Hibiscus Shrubs
Hibiscus flowers are used for culinary purposes, to flavor drinks, teas, and preserves, to add color to salads, or eaten in candied form. Harvest the flowers when they are fully open, removing the flower from the calyx. Remove the stamen from the center, and place the petals in a bowl filled with water to rinse off any dirt or dust. Then, lay them out on a cookie cooling rack outside in a sunny area free of winds. Leave them there for three days to a week, checking each day to see if they have dried. Once they have fully dried, place them in an airtight container until you are ready to use them.

Propagation

​Hibiscus can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Hibiscus shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Hibiscus by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, a plastic bag and rubber band, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 4-6 inch softwood (green) portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip all but the top two leaves off. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about eight weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. This can be helped along by securing a plastic bag around the top of the pot with a rubber band to keep moisture in and temperatures high. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Hibiscus by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds. 
  3. Hibiscus seeds have a hard coating that protects them, but this coating also makes it a little difficult to get them to germinate. Scarify them with sandpaper (or simply rub them against an abrasive surface). Then, soak them in lukewarm water overnight. Do this with as many seeds as you can; they will probably not all sow, and the ones that do will be of varying characteristics, especially if you are propagating a hybrid variety. The more seeds you plant, the more chances you will have to get the resulting shrub you want.
  4. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-28 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  5. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
A Hibiscus seed pod, filled with Hibiscus seeds ready to be harvested.
Hibiscus seeds.

Problems and Pests

Hibiscus shrubs suffer from a few pests and diseases, including:
  • Spider Mites
  • Scale
  • Whiteflies
  • Root Rot
  • Leaf Spot
  • Gray Mold
  • Nematodes
  • Mealybugs
For more information on how to prevent and eradicate these issues, consult the links below.

Gallery

Hibiscus mutabilis 'Flore Peno' with its double-blooms, looks almost more like a rose than a hibiscus.
Hibiscus shrubs make great screening plants, with the added benefit of producing beautiful flowers.
Grow these shrubs either in the ground or in pots. They can also be grown indoors!

Videos

All you need to know about growing Hibiscus shrubs.
All about pruning!
Propagating Hibiscus shrubs via cuttings.
Hibiscus 

Resources

Propagating Hibiscus: Tips for Growing Hibiscus Cuttings
How to Make Hibiscus Tea
How to Plant and Grow Hibiscus
Tips on Caring for Hibiscus Plants
Wikipedia: Hibiscus
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 363 - 364, Hibiscus
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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