The Tropical Flair of the Hibiscus

Posted:17 June 2016

Bring a touch of tropical flair into your garden with the Hibiscus, a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae, and commonly called the Rose of Sharon. Many people assume from the botanical name, Hibiscus syriacus, that they belong to the Middle East and should, therefore, not survive our winters. But the name is misleading and hardy hibiscus can be grown in most British gardens with very little bother.

The genus is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. They come into leaf very late in the season – around June in some cases – then starting to flower in late July and continuing to decorate the bushes until early autumn.

Hibiscus are deciduous shrubs with dark green leaves; the plants can grow to 15 feet tall in frost-free areas. The large and exotic flowers are attractive to butterflies, and often up to 6 inches diameter, with colors ranging from yellow, to blue to peach to red. Hibiscus can be planted singly or grown as a hedge, they can also be pruned into a single-stemmed small tree.

 

Cultivation  Grow in moist and really well-drained soil, in a sheltered position in full sun. They need virtually nothing in the way of pruning since it has a tidy habit of growth – making a rounded shrub five feet across and as much high – but only after several years.

Propagation  Propagate by making semi-hardwood cuttings.

Suggested planting locations and garden types  Flower borders, hedging and screening. They are good for city and courtyard gardens, coastal and informal patio and container plants.