hibiscus - so much variety

By Barbara Arnold

You may think of the hibiscus as a tropical plant, but there are many types of hibiscus that can and do grow quite well in Ohio. They include hardy shrubs, perennial and of course tropical varieties. All of these plants have sensational flowers and can make a wonderful addition to your perennial bed, hedge border, or patio pots.

The tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is a great addition to the summer garden as a container specimen. These plants will not survive our Ohio winters, but you can bring them indoors before the first frost. These plants are available in many styles, but shrubs and trees are the most common forms. They have dark green, glossy foliage and very showy flowers. Blooms are large and usually brilliant red, bright yellow and pink, although there are many other color variations.

These plants love full sun and bloom repeatedly, but they need to be deep watered often during the hottest days. If you bring your tropical hibiscus inside for the winter, keep in mind that the leaves normally change with the amount of sun the plant receives. Don’t worry if the leaves turn yellow and fall off – they will soon be replaced by fresh green leaves. The tropical hibiscus will bloom sporadically indoors through the winter so you can still enjoy this plant throughout the year.

The hardy hibiscus rose mallow or swamp mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is a very nice perennial plant for the back of the garden bed. This perennial hibiscus dies back completely to the ground for the winter and remains dormant until fairly late the following year. This plant is one of the last to reappear in the spring, so be patient and let the warmth of the sun get it growing again. It will usually start blooming by the first week of July and flower through September. Rose mallows have heart-shaped dull green leaves and massive “dinner plate” flowers.

These plants do like consistent moisture and will thrive in boggy soil or clay. They cannot tolerate very dry soil and should be watered copiously in times of drought. Rose mallows can be pinched back when they are around 1 to 2 feet tall to make them fuller and bushier with more blooms, and mulching the plants in the fall will produce more stems the following year. You can propagate rose mallows from simple cuttings so you can easily include this plant throughout you landscape or share it with friends.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), or Althea, is also a member of the family and another great hibiscus for Ohio. Rose of Sharon is most commonly seen as a shrub but is also sold as a tree standard and can reach 8 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. This is a beautiful shrub that blooms July through September, though it does take a long time to break dormancy in spring.

This is also one of the easiest and most rewarding plants you could want and a great plant for those who would like to get a fast-growing hedge. They come in a large variety of colors and have either single or double blooms. Doubles tend to be sterile, resulting in no unwanted seedlings. Rose of Sharon easily propagates by seed, which can become a problem. You may want to deadhead the plant to prevent it from seeding. Rose of Sharon is a practically foolproof plant you’re sure to love – the bees adore it and you’ll probably see hummingbirds enjoying it as well.

There are many ways to enjoy a hibiscus plant in your garden. E-mail your questions about hibiscus varieties to Barbara Arnold at info@ourohio.org

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