Hibiscus Species

Broadleaf Evergreen Varieties

• The Chinese hibiscus is a plant from tropical Asia, so it is suitable only for the warmth of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11 in North America. This hibiscus possesses glossy green foliage and showy red flowers that bloom intermittently throughout the year in these warm zones. Chinese hibiscus grows to 10 feet and is an evergreen shrub. Japanese lantern (hibiscus schizopetalus) is even less cold hardy, useful only in zones 10 and 11 when grown outdoors. Japanese lantern is from tropical parts of eastern Africa, but its hanging flowers resemble Japanese lanterns, hence its name. It grows to 8 feet and functions as a hedge or screen or by itself in the landscape.

Rose of Sharon

• The Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) takes the form of a vase-shaped shrub or a small tree, depending upon whether you keep it trimmed. Rose of Sharon lacks extreme cold tolerance, only hardy to USDA zone 5 and growing into zone 8. The shrub is deciduous, with dark green foliage and large flowers that begin to bloom by June and continuing until October. Aphrodite is a cultivar that grows between 6 and 10 feet, producing pink flowers with deep red centers. Aphrodite, like all Rose of Sharon shrubs, generates more flowers if planted in full sun.

Hardy Hibiscus

• The hardy hibiscus comes in many cultivars. This species of hibiscus has the reputation of generating wide flowers; Fantasia produces flowers up to 9 inches wide. Fantasia grows to 3 feet, with a compact, rounded form. It blooms pink flowers from July into September and grows into USDA zone 4. Sweet Caroline makes it to 5 feet high, with dark red centers within the pink flowers. Sweet Caroline's large summer flowers prove attractive to butterflies.

Mallow Hibiscus

• The scarlet rose mallow (Hibiscus coccineus) does so well in wet places it has the alternate name of swamp hibiscus. Native to southeastern states like Georgia and Alabama, swamp hibiscus grows between 3 and 6 feet high, with red flowers that bloom from early summer into the first weeks of autumn. The rose mallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpos) grows tall enough at 7 feet to function in the rear of perennial gardens. Rose mallow blooms until October in USDA zones 5 through 9. Its white or rose-colored flowers possess dark crimson centers.