Hibiscus 'Tosca'

RHS Plant Profile

hibiscus 'Tosca'

RHS

Shrubs

A shrub up to 3m high, with deciduous dark green leaves with from three to seven lobes, and large, single pink flowers, with dark red centres and cream stamens, from midsummer to early autumn; honeybees and bumblebees may visit for pollen

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Malvaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Hibiscus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, trees, annuals or perennials, with simple or palmately lobed leaves and large, funnel-shaped flowers over a long flowering season
Name Status: Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in neutral, well-drained soil, in full sun, in a warm position such as a south-facing or west-facing wall to encourage flowering, and protect roots in winter with an organic mulch

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in late spring, by semi-ripe cuttings in summer, or by layering in spring or autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Cut flowers
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 1 (little or no pruning of trees and shrubs)

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, scale insects, mealybugs and glasshouse whitefly when grown under glass

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and powdery mildews