Posted 9:32 am Thursday, August 02, 2012
Send to Kindle
Giant Blooms Make Hibiscus 'Delightful Summer Favorite'
By DEE BISHOP
Smith County Master Gardener
A delightful southern favorite is hibiscus moscheutos. A 3-foot-tall shrub and as wide or wider, this beauty blooms in mid-summer. Gigantic blooms can be shades of pink, white, or red. This particular plant is Pink Flare or Luna Pink.
We also have another called Copper King that has deep purplish foliage and pink flowers a real knock-out.
These beautiful plants are native to Texas and the South. You often see the native ones in ditches, marshy areas, in fields, and along the low-lying coastal areas. The ones around here are white, but sometimes pink ones will be seen too.
Horticulturists have had fun playing with these plants for years. They have gotten compact plants with larger flowers and longer bloom times.
One of the easiest plants to grow, hibiscus moscheutos needs full sun and damp soil.
They do require lots of water and look beautiful near pools and ponds. Maybe lots of water spells doom for you right now, but IF you can provide the water, you can enjoy this knock-out plant.
They will freeze to the ground in winter, but reliably reappear in spring and bloom all summer. My Grandmother showed me how to enjoy all hibiscus blooms.
Smith County Master Gardener
A delightful southern favorite is hibiscus moscheutos. A 3-foot-tall shrub and as wide or wider, this beauty blooms in mid-summer. Gigantic blooms can be shades of pink, white, or red. This particular plant is Pink Flare or Luna Pink.
We also have another called Copper King that has deep purplish foliage and pink flowers a real knock-out.
These beautiful plants are native to Texas and the South. You often see the native ones in ditches, marshy areas, in fields, and along the low-lying coastal areas. The ones around here are white, but sometimes pink ones will be seen too.
Horticulturists have had fun playing with these plants for years. They have gotten compact plants with larger flowers and longer bloom times.
One of the easiest plants to grow, hibiscus moscheutos needs full sun and damp soil.
They do require lots of water and look beautiful near pools and ponds. Maybe lots of water spells doom for you right now, but IF you can provide the water, you can enjoy this knock-out plant.
They will freeze to the ground in winter, but reliably reappear in spring and bloom all summer. My Grandmother showed me how to enjoy all hibiscus blooms.
Pick a blossom once it opens in the morning.
Place it on your table etc. (no water required) and enjoy that bloom all day. Try it! I know you don't believe me. When Grandma became a shut-in, we kept hibiscus blooms on her bed tray where she loved to look at them.
Place it on your table etc. (no water required) and enjoy that bloom all day. Try it! I know you don't believe me. When Grandma became a shut-in, we kept hibiscus blooms on her bed tray where she loved to look at them.
There are other hibiscus varieties that do equally well here.
The lovely old hibiscus syriacus or Althea also known as Rose-of- Sharon, hibiscus mutablis or Confederate Rose, and Hibiscus coccineus (Texas Star) which can be red or white, but always the Texas Star. Then of course there are the tropical types that you see in all colors, but they aren't always hardy in winter (summer either when it is really hot).
The lovely old hibiscus syriacus or Althea also known as Rose-of- Sharon, hibiscus mutablis or Confederate Rose, and Hibiscus coccineus (Texas Star) which can be red or white, but always the Texas Star. Then of course there are the tropical types that you see in all colors, but they aren't always hardy in winter (summer either when it is really hot).
Texas native plants and old tried-and-true plants that our grandparents grew are the way to go when you want easy and reliable.
Dee Bishop is a Smith County Master Gardener. She writes about plants in Tyler Rose Garden.
Dee Bishop is a Smith County Master Gardener. She writes about plants in Tyler Rose Garden.
