Hibiscus is one of my favorite happy flowers. Hardy hibiscuses are happy-looking creatures, coloring summer gardens with 10-inch-wide flowers in reds, whites and pinks.
It blooms in late summer just as gardens and gardeners are looking a little worn out.
Its generous flowering habit, exquisite blooms and long flowering period, from early summer to late autumn, just can’t be scoffed at! Once they start blooming, they usually keep blooming until a killing frost in fall. And,
Unlike any other flower in the garden, hardy hibiscus offers us flowers that are both huge and delicate, as if they were fashioned from crepe paper. These hibiscus flowers range from a petite 3 or 4 inches across to the proverbial dinner plate, 8 to 12 inches in diameter!
In the center of each impressive flower you’ll find a prominent pistil and stamen structure that adds to their beauty. For years the only hardy hibiscus colors available were white, pink and red.
Thanks to plant collectors and breeders, you can now select some incredible color variations that can be poetically described as hot pink, raspberry, mauve, dusty rose and plum.
There is even one interesting new variety called ‘Old Yella’ with yellow buds that open to a creamy white. The blooms of many varieties have a dark red center and a few have a ruffled edge.
Others are bicolored or have attractive dark veins. While each bloom only lasts one day, hardy hibiscus are prolific, sometimes producing more than a hundred blooms in a season.
Hardy hibiscuses are sturdy and don’t wilt or collapse in summer heat, especially the newer ones. They grow 3 to 6 feet tall and will thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and endure poor soils, flood and drought.
They withstand temperatures from minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit to more than 100 degrees, and they also resist many pests and diseases.
Place hardy hibiscus in a site that gets at least five to six hours of sun or more each day. The soil’s pH should be 6.5 to 7.0.
Although soil fertility doesn’t need to be high, the plants reach peak performance if they’re grown in rich organic soil with ample moisture. You can mulch or not. Hardy hibiscus also do very well in damp to wet soil.
Hardy Hibiscus is an excellent plant in borders and flowerbeds.
The flowers are attractive to butterflies, bees, other small colorful insects and hummingbirds. Plant Hardy Hibiscus beside pool, on wetlands and borders for a showcase of blooms and colors over summer.
In fact, there’s more to these gorgeous plants than meets the eye. Did you know that hibiscus herbal tea is not only delicious, but also a very healthy beverage?
Studies have shown that drinking hibiscus tea can effectively lower high blood pressure and reduce high cholesterol levels in many individuals!
Besides lowering high blood pressure and high cholesterol, this healthful hibiscus beverage has several characteristics that make it much more valuable than conventional teas.
- hibiscus and hibiscus mint tea are caffeine free
- hibiscus tea is also rich in Vitamin C
- hibiscus tea has a unique, delicious taste
- hibiscus tea has a smooth, pleasant fragrance
- hibiscus tea has a distinctive, vibrant, natural color
- hibiscus tea is great served hot or cold
- hibiscus tea has long been known to act as a natural body refrigerant in North Africa…
Happy hibiscus growing !
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Yours truly, Polly – Organic Gardener
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have exactly the same problem with my hardy hibiscus. And, in addition, the leaves are turning yellow. I took it to the nursery that I trust. They said it didn’t look like wilt. All blames are to the weather this year.
Awesome website! I’m happy I wandered onto it through my friend’s blog I’m gonna need to put this one on the morning routine…