Hibiscus, a genus of sun-loving shrubs with tropical-looking magnificent flowers, which come in varied shades of pink, bright red, pastel orange, white, and yellow. They are easily recognizable with their funnel shape, large papery petals, and contrasting colorful centers, called eyes. Hibiscus can be both perennial and annual, depending on their growing zone and surrounding temperature. Like most flowers, hibiscus also opens for a day and closes as the sun sets.
With over 200 species, hibiscus can be classified into three categories based on their growing habits; tropical, hardy, and rose of Sharon. Besides this, there are some native ones too, like the rose mallow.
Commonly known as Chinese hibiscus, these sun-loving shrubs bloom in yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, lavender, white, and bi color shades. Being tropical, they don’t prefer temperatures below 50°F. So, if you belong to cold climate zones, consider them as annuals or bring them indoors for the winter and treat them as houseplants. Tropical hibiscus bears deep green glossy foliage that protects it from the intense heat of the tropics. Generally, it’s hard to care for them as they require constant moisture to keep blooming throughout the year.
Sunlight Requirement: Full to partial sun
USDA Zone: 9-12
Here are some popular tropical hibiscus varieties:
1. ‘Painted Lady’
This classic tropical beauty showcases huge, eight-inch scarlet red to dark blossoms, with white striated petals surrounding a deep red eye. Its large green scalloped-edged leaves are an added beauty. This vigorous grower takes an upright, rounded form with dense foliage. It will grace the patio if planted in containers, or add a splash of red to borders as well.
Flower Colors: Scarlet red
Blooming Season: Spring, summer, fall
Height/Width: 6-8 feet/4-6 feet
2. ‘El Capitolio’
Originally from Cuba, this classic cultivar is a surprising gift by Mother Nature. Its four to five-inch flower opens up with ruffled petals, and the characteristic long staminal column. But what sets it apart is its large, showy stamens. The ends of the stamens develop petals on the end of the column, giving not one but two flowers in a single bloom. Delicate white splashes from the eye add to its unique charm. Also called ‘poodle flower’, this vigorous grower makes a stunning accent plant. It can be planted in mixed borders, or grown as a hedge.
Flower Colors: Bright red, orange, pink
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 6-8 feet/4-5 feet
3. ‘Hawaiian Sunset’
A dazzling orange beauty, displaying vivid, bright red eye with golden sunset-yellow at the edge of its six to eight-inch petals. Occasional white streaks add texture to this exquisite blossom. This easy-to-grow cultivar works great for hedges and mass plantings, as an accent, or as a potted plant for the porch or patio.
Flower Colors: Orange
Blooming Season: Summer to fall
Height/Width: 4-6 feet/ 4-6 feet
4. ‘Eye of Kali’
Bred by Dupont Nurseries in 2009, ‘Eye of Kali’ is part of their Cajun series. It is a compact tropical hibiscus with exotic yellow, pink, and red flowers with a large, bright red eye ringed in pink, giving a tropical punch to the garden. The large five crinkled orangey-yellow petals fan out to almost four inches. The incredible feature of this one is the distinctive pink and red eye in the flower’s center from where the showy yellow stamen sticks out. Although this tropical shrub can be grown in the ground, it grows best in containers as a balcony or patio plant.
Flower Colors: Yellow, pink, red
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 4-6 feet/4-6 feet
5. ‘Black Dragon’
This exquisite beauty will surely add drama and flair to tropical garden with its deep burgundy-toned, eight to ten-inch flowers. The petals are painted white at the edges. Its blossoms also have a white swirling central eye, creating an amazing contrast with the deep burgundy hue, which looks almost black. The blooms are darker in midsummer and fade to reddish hues as the temperature drops. However, it’s tricky to grow as it has been known to die suddenly from stresses such as over or under-watering. This slow-growing shrub can be planted in containers or grown as a specimen.
Flower Colors: Deep burgundy
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 8-10 feet/3-5 feet
6. ‘Red Dragon’
It has stunning orangey-red double flowers contrasting with the shiny evergreen foliage. This moderate to fast-growing variant showcases scarlet-red double flowers with ruffled petals. With its bold colors, this tropical hibiscus is an outstanding specimen for growing in tropical gardens as a specimen bush, foundation planting, or evergreen flowering hedge.
Flower Colors: Scarlet-red
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 6-8 feet/3-4 feet
7. ‘Fiesta’
This tropical hibiscus will bring a festivity to the garden with its vibrant, fiery orange blooms, having crinkled edges, which are margined with golden-yellow. The bright red eye fades to a pink halo, giving it a beautiful multi-colored appearance. The six to eight-inch blooms last up to three days, and are framed by bright green, shiny foliage. It can be planted in containers or borders for a splash of tropical sunshine in the backyard.
Flower Colors: Orange
Blooming Season: Primarily summer, but nearly throughout the year in mild climates
Height/Width: 6-8 feet/4-6 feet
8. ‘Brilliant’
The evergreen cultivar showcases bright, cardinal-red flowers with five large, ruffled petals that bend backward, opening up to 6 inches. The funnel-like hibiscus flowers have long conspicuous red and yellow stamens protruding from the center. With proper care, this continues to flower throughout the year.
Flower Colors: Cardinal-red
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 8-10 feet/4-5 feet
9. ‘Simple Pleasures’
This traditional variation has nine to ten-inch blooms with bright red eyes. However, moving towards the tip of the petal, it turns pink, and the ends have a vibrant yellow tint. The staminal column in the middle of the petals is bright yellow, just like the outer edge of the petals.
Flower Colors: Pink, red-orange, bright yellow
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 4-6 feet/4-6 feet
10. ‘Palm Springs’
This variety of tropical hibiscus produces six to eight-inch blooms. The outer edges of the petals have a vibrant shade of deep yellow. It also has a bright orange eye that looks almost star-shaped from a distance.
Flower Colors: Red, bright yellow
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 4-6 feet/4-6 feet
11. ‘Bedazzled‘
This tropical one is a hybrid between ‘Tis Huge’ and ‘Standing Ovation’. It is a double hibiscus, sporting incredible ruffled flowers that sport deep orange and red hues in the summer sun, without losing their color even in the heat. The six to eight-inch breathtaking blooms stand out amongst the dark green foliage of the plant. This broadleaf evergreen one is perfect for an annual hedge planting, with seasonal and showy flowers attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
Flower Colors: Orange, red
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height/Width: 4-10 feet
12. ‘Mango Liqueur’
With wide, ruffly-petaled, 6-8 inch blooms that mature into gold and orange hues, this hybrid is indeed reminiscent of a fruity drink. It is bred by crossing ‘Muffin Man’ and ‘Crème de Cacao’, and is mainly used as floral decor in parties and weddings. This fun hibiscus is an excellent addition to the garden landscape.
Flower Colors: Orange
Blooming Season: Throughout the year
Height: 10-12 feet
13. ‘Tricolor’
This evergreen tropical hibiscus features bold red round flowers with dark red eyes and buttery yellow anthers at the ends of the branches. Apart from flowers, another attraction is its beautiful variegated leaves in green, white, and pink shades. The glossy pointy leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. It makes an ideal hedge, screen, or background planting.
Flower Colors: Red
Blooming Season: Midsummer to early fall
Height/Width: 2-3 feet/2-3 feet
14. ‘Panama Red’
This compact, tropical, herbaceous, perennial is primarily planted for its striking, burgundy-red, deep-cut foliage that resembles the leaves of Japanese maple. The leaves retain the carmine-red color even through the hottest days. It often produces bright-red, funnel-shaped flowers, making it ideal for planting in borders.
Flower Colors: Red
Blooming Season: Late summer to early fall
Height/Width: 3-4 feet/1-2 feet
As the name suggests, it is a cold-hardy, sun-loving perennial that survives low temperatures, as below as -20°F. Unlike the tropical, hardy hibiscus dies back to the ground every winter and comes back from the roots in late spring. They are known for their huge, dinner-plate-sized blooms, which are up to 10 inches or more, and primarily in red, pink, and white shades. Also known as perennial hibiscus, these can live throughout the winter. Typically, the plant is pruned before winter, and the new growth forms from the existing root system. These low-maintenance ones do well in alkaline to neutral, moist, well-drained soil.
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun
USDA Zone: 5-9
Some common hardy hibiscus varieties are listed below:
1. ‘Berry Awesome’
It is part of the Summerific® Series, trademarked and owned by Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan. This exquisite variety showcases huge, slightly ruffled deep magenta-pink blooms, a crimson eye, and a yellow fuzzy stamen. It is also known as the ‘dinner plate hibiscus’ due to its massive disc-like flowers, opening up to 7-8 inches. Foliage on this small shrub is maple-like, dark green leaves. This fast-growing, perennial variety forms dense, compact shrubs, providing a dash of color to the garden. It is the hardiest of the lot, requiring very little attention in winter. However, it again pops back in late spring, adorning the garden with its ‘berry awesome’ness.
Flower Colors: Deep magenta-pink
Blooming Season: Mid-summer until fall
Height/Width: 3-4 feet/4-5 feet
2. ‘Blush’
This absolute show-stopper is a part of the Head Over Heels® series from hybridizers at the University of Georgia. This patented cultivar is formally known as ‘RutHib1’, after its producer John Ruter. The fast-growing, cold-hardy, herbaceous perennial produces big pale-pink blooms with bold crimson centers that pop against deep burgundy foliage. The flowers are six to ten inches in diameter when fully open. Its foliage dies in winter, returning in late spring.
Flower Colors: Pale-pink
Blooming Season: Early summer to fall
Height/Width: 2-3 feet/3-4 feet
3. ‘Cranberry Crush’
Another stunner of the Summerific® series from Walters Gardens is a prolific bloomer, producing vivid red blooms. It is an indeterminate variety, which means it produces flowers all along the stems, not just at the tips. Its bright red flowers are slightly cupped, with overlapping ruffled edges. The blooms emerge from almost black buds, extending up to seven to eight inches. With a mounding, compact form, this variety features bright green foliage with purple veining.
Flower Colors: Bright red
Blooming Season: Midsummer to fall
Height/Width: 3-4 feet/4-5 feet
4. ‘Lord Baltimore’
This hybrid variety was bred by Robert Darby in 1955, and named after Benedict Leonard Calvert, the 4th Baron Baltimore, who famously served as Governor of Maryland from 1684 to 1688. It is known for its expansive blooms, reaching up to 8-10 inches in diameter. This hardy hibiscus plant features bright red blooms, with slightly overlapping ruffled-edge petals and a tiny white eye.
Flower Colors: Bright red
Blooming Season: Mid-summer to early fall
Height/Width: 4-5 feet/2-3 feet
5. ‘Passion’
Another member of the Head Over Heels® series, displaying enormous, bright pink blooms. It’s also called ‘RutHib2’, after its breeder John Ruter. These attractive, pink, six to eight-inch flowers with a gorgeous deep red eye emerge from bright green buds. Apart from the flowers, its deep wine-red foliage is an added beauty to this one. It becomes dormant in winter and reappears in spring.
Flower Colors: Bright pink
Blooming Season: Summer, late fall
Height/Width: 2-3 feet/3-4 feet
6. ‘Luna Red’
Belonging to the ‘Luna’ series, this hibiscus strain is a showy one, featuring large, pinkish-red, six to eight-inch flowers with overlapping petals. It also has a contrasting yellowish-white stamen and a slightly darker red eye. It can be planted in large containers, borders, or as a specimen plant in the garden. The plant can be protected from frosty winter by cutting back the stems after the foliage dies. It will return to its full vigor as the spring starts. Being a type of swamp rose mallow, it can also be planted near ponds or streams.
Flower Colors: Pinkish red
Blooming Season: Midsummer until late fall
Height/Width: 2-3 feet/1-2 feet
7. ‘Luna White’
Another dazzling beauty from the ‘Luna’ series, sporting delicate, creamy white blooms, with a dark, blood-red eye of six to eight inches. The flowers pair well with other members of this series for a uniform shape, as part of a small hedge, or in sunny borders. Its soil can be covered with mulch or frost covers during winters to protect it from cold. So, once established, this drought-tolerant one will die back over winter, reappearing in late spring to grace the garden with its spectacular, large blooms.
Flower Colors: Creamy white
Blooming Season: Mid-summer to mid-fall
Height/Width: 2-3 feet/1-2 feet
8. ‘Starry Starry Night’
Besides flowers, the main attraction of this variant is its deep inky purple, almost black foliage that makes a dramatic addition to any border. Its eight-inch, pale pink flowers emerge from bright green buds, beautifying the garden. With five pale pink petals and light purple veins, which softly fade along a gradient of light pink to darker pink and bright red central eye, this one will surely mesmerize everyone and the hummingbirds. A location with full sun is essential for the dark foliage to develop. This magnificent cultivar was released by Walters Gardens in 2015. It creates a bold centerpiece in a border or container garden.
Flower Colors: Pale pink
Blooming Season: Midsummer to early frost
Height/Width: 3-4 feet/3-4 feet
9. ‘Airbrush Effect’
This cold-hardy hibiscus exhibits delightful vibrant pink flowers that can grow up to 8 inches across, just like a dinner plate. Its beautiful pink petals with hints of white overlap each other to create large blooms, covering the shrub.
Flower Colors: Pink
Blooming Season: Mid-summer until the fall
Height/Width: 3-4 feet/3-4 feet
10. ‘Cherry Cheesecake’
This hibiscus cultivar has spectacular white flowers with dramatic dark magenta veins radiating from a crimson red center, creating a raspberry whirl pattern. The large white and magenta saucer-like flowers contrast with the dark green foliage. It grows best in shrub borders, as a flowering hedge, or in containers.
Flower Colors: White
Blooming Season: Midsummer to fall
Height/Width: 4-5 feet/5-6 feet
11. ‘Blue River II’
It features dinner plate-sized, 5-petaled, hollyhock-like pure white blooms that grow up to six to ten inches across. The flowers are white with no eye and have a prominent tubular central staminal column. Its large, deep green leaves sometimes have a tinge of blue. It almost makes the garden glow at night.
Flower Colors: White
Blooming Season: Midsummer until early fall
Height/Width: 4-5 feet/2-3 feet
12. ‘Kopper King’
A hardy perennial that displays twelve-inch wide, hollyhock-like light pink flowers with red veining and a bright red eye. The leaves on this variation are distinctive copper-red, lobed, maple-like leaves, providing a striking backdrop to the huge, vibrant blooms. This vigorous, deciduous type has a compact, rounded form and blooms over a long season, making it a perfect addition to the shrub or perennial border.
Flower Colors: White
Blooming Season: Summer
Height/Width: 3-4 feet/3-4 feet
These are hardy, sun-loving flowering, perennial shrubs that survive temperatures as cold as -20°F. They typically have smaller leaves and smaller flowers than their tropical counterparts. The blooms appear primarily in white, pink, purple, and red shades and can be single or double. Some varieties also have attractive foliage splashed with white. This fast-growing, low maintenance shrub with large trumpet-like flowers thrive well in alkaline to neutral, moist, well-drained soil.
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun
USDA Zone: 5-9
Here are some popular rose of Sharon varieties:
1. ‘Blue Chiffon’
It belongs to the Chiffon® series, bred by Roderick Ian Woods in the UK. Also known as ‘Notwoodthree’, this beautiful cultivar results from a cross between several open-pollinated rose of Sharon cultivars. The pale violet-blue, four-inch blooms are semi-double, with five outer petals and a lacy center, giving it a frivolous appearance. Its stamen remains covered by its inner petals with a reddish-purple eye, just peeping out behind them.
Flower Colors: Pale violet blue
Blooming Season: Midsummer to fall
Height/Width: 8-12 feet/4-6 feet
2. ‘Oiseau Bleu’
Also known as the ‘Blue Bird’ rose of Sharon, this cultivar displays relatively small, lilac or purple, trumpet-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers. It has stunning flowers with contrasting dark burgundy veins and a dark cherry red center with a conical white stamen. The attractive leafy foliage with its blue flowers is ideal as a deciduous hedge, or foundation planting.
Flower Colors: Lilac or purple
Blooming Season: Midsummer until the first frost
Height/Width: 6-8 feet/5-6 feet
3. ‘Luna Pink Swirl’
Noted for its huge blooms, adorned with attractive pink-white swirls and a raspberry-red eye, this hardy perennial is undoubtedly a showstopper. The creamy-white stamens protrude from the petals, providing a beautiful contrast with the red center. It is loved among gardeners due to its regrowth ability. First, it grows into a medium-sized bush and continues to flower until the first frost, after which it spontaneously regrows in the spring from the existing root system.
Flower Colors: Pink, white
Blooming Season: Mid to late summer
Height/Width: 2-3 feet/2-3 feet
Wish to explore more about these magnificent beauties and its types? Check our rose of Sharon varieties.
How to tell if a hibiscus is hardy or tropical
It is a showy, herbaceous perennial, displaying large, hollyhock-like flowers, opening up to six to ten inches across. The blooms have five overlapping pink or white petals, with a contrasting reddish-purple center, from where the yellow stamen emerges. The magnificent flowers open during the day and close at night. Though each bloom lasts about 1-2 days, new flowers are produced every day during the blooming period. The showy flowers attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. Besides these gorgeous blooms, the plant is also grown for its graceful, velvety, heart-shaped, gray-green foliage. As the name implies, this southeastern U.S. native is confined to swamps, marshes, and ditches. For optimum growth, it should be planted in organically rich, acidic to neutral, well-drained soil.
Flower Colors: White, pink
Blooming Season: Spring, summer
Height/Width: 6-15 feet/2-4 feet
Sunlight Requirement: Full to partial sun
USDA Zone: 8-11
Also known as Texas star, this woody upright perennial variety is noted for its bright, crimson-red blossoms, growing to 3-5 inches. These eye-catching flowers are adorned with creamy-white to pale yellow stamina columns, protruding from the center. It sports shiny, palmately divided, deep green foliage, making the plant worth growing. This deer-resistant one can be planted in borders for dramatic summer blooms. Like the previous variety, it is also native to the southeastern U.S.
Flower Colors: Scarlet-red
Blooming Season: Midsummer to early fall
Height/Width: 3-6 feet/2-3 feet
Sunlight Requirement: Full to partial sun
USDA Zone: 6-13
Native to Mexico and the U.S., this shrub grows along rock surfaces and can even thrive in washes and on steep hillsides. Its branches are relatively thin and twig-like, bearing oblong, yellowish-green, fine-toothed leaves at alternate intervals. Its stems and leaves are evenly covered by short, stellate (star-shaped), whitish hairs. The large, showy, bowl-shaped flowers are produced singly from the tip of the stem. The broad, thin pink, lavender, or white petals are up to one inch long. The petals overlap each other, resembling the petals of a rose. The flower center has a cluster of short stamens, with slender pink filaments and pinkish-red anthers. The plant can bloom any time between late winter and early fall, but the peak time is in the spring.
Flower Colors: Pink, purple
Blooming Season: late winter, early fall, spring
Height: 2-3 feet
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun
USDA Zone: 9-11
Native to Europe, this annual variety blooms only for a few hours, thus getting the name. This hibiscus plant flowers from early June through October, with big white and pale yellow blooms centered with dark purple hues. It has long-stalked, palmately divided, coarsely-toothed, dark green, succulent leaves, growing up to 3 inches. The deer-tolerant, low maintenance plant can thrive well in slightly acidic to alkaline, well-drained soil. It will grace the garden bed, borders and can be kept in containers too.
Flower Colors: White
Blooming Season: Midsummer to early fall
Height/Width: 1-2 feet/1-2 feet
Sunlight Requirement: Full sun
USDA Zone: 2-11
Also known as Dixie rose mallow, cotton rose, or cotton rosemallow, this fast-growing shrub blooms profusely during the blooming period. It glorifies the garden with its single or double, 4-6 inch wide pink and white blossoms. In the morning, the flowers emerge white or pink, which drastically changes to hot pink or red as the day progresses. This low-maintenance plant prefers well-drained, alkaline to neutral, loamy soil. The deer-resistant variant will add a charm to the garden as borders or foundation planting.
Flower Colors: Pink, white
Blooming Season: Summer to fall
Height/Width: 6-15 feet/6-10 feet
Sunlight Requirement: Full to partial sun
USDA Zone: 7-11
Commonly known as Ma’o hau hele, it is the state flower of Hawaii. The plant boasts large, yellow blooms up to 4-6 inches across with protruding yellow staminal column. The blossoms usually display a red or maroon eye, creating a striking contrast with the yellow petals. Endemic to Hawaii, it is native to dry forests and shrublands at an altitude of 400 to 2600 feet. All three subspecies of this one are listed as endangered. For optimum growth, plant it in organically rich, well-drained soil. It is excellent as a specimen plant or a hedge.
Flower Colors: Yellow
Blooming Season: Spring, winter
Height/Width: 3-15 feet/8-15 feet
Sunlight Requirement: Full to partial sun
USDA Zone: 9-11
Ans. Yes, hummingbirds like hibiscus, as it is rich in nectar.
Ans. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is most commonly used to make hibiscus tea.
Ans. Every variety of hibiscus is not edible. Some commonly used edible hibiscus are Roselle, Cranberry hibiscus, and Chinese hibiscus.
Ans. Though most of the hibiscus is non-toxic for pets, the Rose of Sharon variety can be poisonous to dogs and cats. If ingested, it may cause nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
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