A vigorous herbaceous perennial with upright stems, woody at the base. The broad green leaves have toothed edges and white hairs on the underside. Flowers are up to 25cm across, with overlapping petals in shades of red, pink or white with contrasting dark 'eyes' at the centres, appearing in the summer
0.5-1 metres
0.5-1 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
May be grown outdoors in mild, frost-free areas, or in large containers that can be moved indoors over winter. Outdoors, grow in neutral to slightly acidic soil in full sun, and mulch well over winter. Hibiscus need long, hot summers to flower well. Indoors, grow in bright filtered light with moderate humidity and good ventilation
Propagate by seed or by division in spring, or by softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings
Pruning group 1; little pruning is usually necessary
May be susceptible to aphids, scale insects, mealybugs and glasshouse whitefly when grown under glass
May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and powdery mildews