Due to their giant, vibrant blooms, hibiscus flowers are prized by gardeners all over the world, and supply a number of makes use of and advantages. Hibiscus vegetation are available numerous sorts, corresponding to annual, perennial, tropical, and hardy hibiscus. On this article, we’ll discover completely different hibiscus sorts, species, and varieties.
About Hibiscus Plant Varieties
The Hibiscus genus comprises a whole bunch of particular person species that belong to the mallow household (Malvaceae). Hibiscus vegetation develop all over the world in heat temperate or tropical climates.
All hibiscus vegetation are broadly divided into two primary sorts; hardy hibiscus and tropical hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus tolerates colder temperatures in USDA Zones 4 to 9. Tropical hibiscus requires heat temperatures in Zones 9 to 12.
Though tropical and hardy hibiscus are the 2 primary sorts, hibiscus vegetation will be additional divided into extra particular sorts. These sorts embrace native hibiscus, Rose of Sharon or shrub hibiscus, and hibiscus hybrids.
Are Hibiscus Annuals or Perennials?
There may be some confusion as as to whether hibiscus vegetation are annuals or perennials. Nonetheless, virtually all hibiscus vegetation are perennials when grown of their most popular climates. Rising hibiscus vegetation exterior their most popular climates can flip them into annuals fairly than perennials.
For instance, tropical hibiscus vegetation grown exterior Zone 9 behave as annuals fairly than perennials. Tropical hibiscus flowers can not tolerate chilly temperatures under 40ºF. If uncovered to the chilly, tropical hibiscus vegetation will solely reside for one yr, to allow them to be grown as annuals.
Hardy Hibiscus
Normal Overview
Hardy hibiscus vegetation develop as perennials in Zones 4 to 9. As such, hardy hibiscus varieties are cold-hardy vegetation that can tolerate winter temperatures all the way down to -30ºF. The commonest varieties of hardy hibiscus are Hibiscus moscheutos or Hibiscus syriacus.
Botanical Traits
Hardy hibiscus vegetation are deciduous, that means they die again in winter earlier than regrowing in spring. Hardy hibiscus vegetation bloom through the summer season and have giant pink, pink, or white flowers that solely final for someday.
Native Vary
Many hardy hibiscus species are native to temperate areas in jap Asia, corresponding to China and Korea. Different hardy hibiscus species develop within the southeastern United States.
Important Rising Ideas
| Rising Zones: | 4 to 9 |
| Daylight Necessities: | Full solar to partial shade |
| Soil Necessities: | Fertile, well-draining soil |
| Water Wants: | A few times every week |
| Fertilizer Wants: | Each 1 to 2 weeks |
| Pruning: | Pointless |
| Pests: | Aphids, Japanese beetles, scale bugs |
| Winter Care: | Will survive winter exterior in Zones 4 to 11 |
| Simple to Develop: | Sure |
Fashionable Varieties
- Accomplice rose (Hibiscus mutabilis)
- Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna Pink Swirl’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Marina’
- Swamp rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
- Rock hibiscus (Hibiscus denudatus)
Tropical Hibiscus
Normal Overview
Tropical hibiscus flowers are evergreen perennials in Zones 9 to 12 however develop as annuals in colder climates. These kind of hibiscus vegetation can not tolerate winter temperatures that drop under 40 to 50ºF. Many tropical hibiscus vegetation are additionally hybrids.
Botanical Traits
Tropical hibiscus vegetation have giant, showy blooms that may be orange, pink, yellow, white, and shades of pink. Some tropical hibiscus vegetation additionally show double flowers, whereas hardy hibiscus species solely have single blooms. In tropical climates, tropical hibiscus vegetation stay evergreen all year long and might flower all yr spherical.
Native Vary
Tropical hibiscus species are native to tropical areas in East Asia, corresponding to China, Japan, and Korea. Some varieties of tropical hibiscus vegetation are native to components of Africa, Australia, and the Pacific, together with Hawaii.
Important Rising Ideas
Fashionable Varieties
- Chinese language hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
- Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Sensible’
- Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Fiji Island’
- Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Magic Second’
- Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Mango Liqueur’
- Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Palm Springs’
- Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Easy Pleasures’
- Madagascar hibiscus (Hibiscus grandidieri)
- Sea hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
- Yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus brackenridgei)
Native Hibiscus
Normal Overview
Native hibiscus vegetation are hibiscus species which are native to the US. Many varieties of native hibiscus species are hardy hibiscus, though a number of species in Florida are tropical hibiscus.
Botanical Traits
Native hibiscus vegetation have giant, colourful flowers much like hollyhocks. Hardy native hibiscus species are deciduous and die again through the winter. In appropriate climates, tropical native hibiscus vegetation stay evergreen all year long.
Native Vary
Most native hibiscus species are native to the southeastern United States. This area offers perfect climates for each hardy and tropical hibiscus vegetation.
Important Rising Ideas
| Rising Zones: | 4 to 12 |
| Daylight Necessities: | Full solar to partial shade |
| Soil Necessities: | Fertile, well-draining soils |
| Water Wants: | A few times every week |
| Fertilizer Wants: | Each 1 to 2 weeks |
| Pruning: | Hardy varieties don’t want pruning. Evenly prune tropical varieties in fall. |
| Pests: | Aphids, Japanese beetles, scale bugs |
| Winter Care: | Depends upon the range |
| Simple to Develop: | Sure |
Fashionable Varieties
- Desert rosemallow (Hibiscus coulteri)
- Heartleaf rosemallow (Hibiscus martianus)
- Pineland hibiscus (Hibiscus aculeatus)
- Scarlet rosemallow (Hibiscus coccineus)
- Swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus grandiflorus)
Rose of Sharon Hibiscus
Normal Overview
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a hardy hibiscus that grows in a different way than different hibiscus vegetation. Whereas different hibiscus vegetation are herbaceous perennials, the rose of Sharon is a woody shrub. These kind of hibiscus vegetation are common with gardeners worldwide due to their decorative qualities.
Botanical Traits
Rose of Sharon is an upright woody perennial shrub that flowers on new progress every season. These shrubs don’t die again to the bottom like different hardy hibiscus vegetation. Rose of Sharon shrubs produces giant blue, purple, pink, or white flowers from midsummer till fall. Like different hibiscus vegetation, the flowers solely final for a day or so.
Native Vary
Rose of Sharon hibiscus is native to components of southern China and different areas of east Asia. It has additionally been launched into a number of nations the place it has turn into naturalized.
Important Rising Ideas
| Rising Zones: | 5 to 9 |
| Daylight Necessities: | Full solar to partial shade |
| Soil Necessities: | Wealthy, well-draining soils |
| Water Wants: | A few times every week |
| Fertilizer Wants: | Each 1 to 2 weeks |
| Pruning: | Prune in late winter or early spring |
| Pests: | Aphids, Japanese beetles, scale bugs |
| Winter Care: | Hardy in Zones 5 to 9 |
| Simple to Develop: | Sure |
Fashionable Varieties
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Aphrodite’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Chicken’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Satin’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Diana’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Lavender Chiffon’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Lil Kim’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Orchid Satin’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Purple Satin’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Pink Coronary heart’
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Sugar Tip’
Hibiscus Hybrids
Normal Overview
Most hibiscus vegetation accessible immediately are hybrids created by hybridizing Hibiscus rosa-sinensis with different varieties, corresponding to Hibiscus moscheutos. These hibiscus sorts are bred for a number of causes, corresponding to to enhance their chilly hardiness or to realize a extra prolonged flowering season.
Botanical Traits
Hibiscus hybrids will be both hardy hibiscus or tropical hibiscus. Like different hibiscus vegetation, hybrids often have giant, enticing flowers with 5 petals and a darkish ring across the middle. Hibiscus hybrids bloom at completely different occasions however are at their greatest in the summertime.
Native Vary
Hibiscus hybrids come from numerous components of the world. Their origin relies on the place the hibiscus species that had been hybridized to create the hybrid got here from. Most hybrids derived from Hibiscus rosa-sinensis will be traced again to jap Asia.
Important Rising Ideas
| Rising Zones: | 4 to 12 |
| Daylight Necessities: | Full solar to partial shade |
| Soil Necessities: | Wealthy, moist, well-draining soils |
| Water Wants: | A few times every week |
| Fertilizer Wants: | Each 1 to 2 weeks |
| Pruning: | Evenly prune tropical varieties within the fall. Hardy varieties don’t require pruning. |
| Pests: | Aphids, Japanese beetles, scale bugs |
| Winter Care: | Depends upon the range |
| Simple to Develop: | Sure |
Fashionable Varieties
- Hibiscus ‘Black Dragon’
- Hibiscus ‘Brandy Punch’
- Hibiscus ‘Sweet Stripe
- Hibiscus ‘Cranberry Crush’
- Hibiscus ‘Everest White’
- Hibiscus ‘Fantasia’
- Hibiscus ‘Hawaiian Sundown’
- Hibiscus ‘Midnight Marvel’
- Hibiscus ‘Painted Girl’
- Hibiscus ‘Summer season Storm’
Hibiscus Plant Varieties FAQs:
How Many Completely different Types of Hibiscus Are There?
There are a whole bunch of particular person species throughout the Hibiscus genus. Hibiscus vegetation are divided into a number of sorts, together with annual hibiscus, perennial hibiscus, tropical hibiscus, and hardy hibiscus.
How Do I Know What Sort of Hibiscus I Have?
The 2 commonest varieties of hibiscus are hardy hibiscus and tropical hibiscus. Tropical hibiscus flowers are available orange, peach, salmon, or yellow, whereas hardy hibiscus is often pink, pink, or white. In case your hibiscus has double flowers fairly than single flowers, it’s most likely a tropical hibiscus.
What Sort of Hibiscus is a Perennial?
Each hardy hibiscus and tropical hibiscus are perennials when grown of their most popular climates. Nonetheless, tropical hibiscus species behave as annuals in colder areas exterior of Zones 10 to 12.
Wrapping Up
Hibiscus flowers are primarily divided between hardy hibiscus and tropical hibiscus. Nonetheless, hibiscus vegetation will be additional divided into different sorts, corresponding to native hibiscus or rose of Sharon hibiscus. Many hibiscus varieties are hybrids between a minimum of two different cultivars.
For extra, see our in-depth information to the greatest companion vegetation for hibiscus, and the greatest areas to plant hibiscus in your backyard.
Edd is a budding content material author and gardener dwelling in the UK. He has a bachelor’s diploma in Artistic and Skilled Writing and has written for a number of gardening publications on-line. He’s obsessed with nature and sustainability with a deal with gardening and wildlife.
