HIBISCUS
Most mornings I wake up at dawn without electronic or winding clock. There is a covey of Starlings perched in branches of the Flowering Plum Trees (Prunus triloba) just outside my westward window, announcing the break of dawn with whistling of song and wild chatter amongst themselves. They are dead silent until the daily ritual of daylight overcoming darkness, at which time I rise and slip on my waterproof garden clogs and take a brief 20 minute walk through The Perennial Garden with Benny, a Golden Retriever who has been one of the furry family members here for over a decade, and a loyal garden walk companion.
Donning a wide brimmed hat and carrying a walking stick, not used for walking at all, but to stave off sticky spider webs that were architecturally perfected during the evening before, I slowly make my way following close to Benny who wildly enjoys the new fragrances left behind by wildlife who passed this way before. He lingers while his keen senses are filled with wonder. And like a triumphal procession preceding a prince with scepter in hand, we meander through the garden paths feeling the crispness of the early morning dew.
While walking through the garden path this morning, I felt the crunch of the dry grasses beneath my feet. In late summer in the Mid South, drought and high heat influenced by an “El Nino weather pattern” bring daily temperatures to the high 90s, and heat indexes soaring to 120 degrees F (49 C) at times, from mid day until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. There has been no measurable rain in more than three weeks and the leaves floating airily downward to the ground are reminiscent of an early onset of Autumn. Sudden Limb Drop in the towering White Oaks (Quercus alba) have increased the need for debris pick up daily, as we add to the brush pile habitats which provide a safe haven for the new family of mother and father fox and their 10 children, and many other wild friends, both feathered and furry.
We believe in and practice water conservation and are keenly aware of the impacts of the growing city around us. As nature gives way to concrete and asphalt, we capture what rain we can, in barrels and tubs adorned with compost tea bags, and strategically place each one to reach thirsty plants when precipitation can’t be found, providing sustenance to The Perennial Garden until it’s hypovolemic thirst can be quenched again.
There are several species of flowering shrub that are strategically placed amidst The Perennial Garden to provide blooms and eye pleasing aesthetics in the southern landscape so that blooms and interesting bark, limbs, or structure can be enjoyed all year round, even in the dead of Winter. One of these species being the Hibiscus species of perennial shrub.
The tall Hydrangeas, while somewhat wilted now, still have blooms. And as I scan the immediate horizon before me I cannot help but notice the striking color of a blooming shrub that shows up late to the garden party, usually about August here in Nashville USDA Zone 7. The pink, purple, white, and showy red flowers of the Hibiscus shrubs bring a welcomed cheer to an otherwise flower desert due to drought conditions that are typical this time of year.
Every species of Hibiscus has these similarities:
Love full sun
Heat tolerant
Low watering demand
Trumpet shaped flowers in an array of colors
Hibiscus species are all Hydrogynophores meaning their pistol and stamen are fused in one single reproductive stem. There are more than 200 species of Hibiscus. Part of the Mallow family, the most common species that we are familiar with in North America are the Tropical or Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), the Rose of Sharon or Althea (Hibiscus syriacus), and the Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus laevis).
TROPICAL HIBISCUS (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Tropical Hibiscus blooms in white, yellow, pink, and red. The 4-8″ blooms of the Tropical Hibiscus only last one day but the shrub blooms continuously all summer. A broadleaf evergreen with glossy green foliage, the Tropical Hibiscus prefers a tropical climate, as it’s name implies, and is susceptible to temperatures that drop below freezing. In Hawaii where the Tropical Yellow Hibiscus is celebrated as Hawaii’s State Flower, there are 7 species of Hibiscus that are native and grow well to heights of 15 feet when planted in the ground in this USDA zones 8b-13. In most gardens cooler than zone 9, the Tropical Hibiscus is grown in containers where it will only grow to about three feet tall and will not live through frosts and freezing weather. And trust me when I tell you it is difficult to over-winter the Tropical Hibiscus in a garage or sun room in colder climates.
ROSE OF SHARON (Hibiscus syriacus)
A rose by any other name would probably NOT smell as sweet, especially if it were the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). Since it is actually not even a rose at all, nor does it offer any fragrance to speak of, this enamorus imposter has many forms of single and double flowers, most having a maroon center which pools nectar that attracts hummingbirds and bees. Also known as Althea or Common Hibiscus, the Rose of Sharon is a flowering deciduous shrub native to eastern Asia. We enjoy their prolific blooms in the late summer when most other flowers have long said goodbye to the hot weather.
Blooming late summer to early fall and very cold tolerant thriving in USDA zone 5-9, Rose of Sharon is sometimes referred to as the hardy Hibiscus. Technically though, this name is reserved for a different Hibiscus species. The flowers of the Rose of Sharon measure up to 3″ and last 1-2 days before dropping. These shrubs can reach 12 feet tall in an upright vase shaped habit. There are some genetically modified species that grow to 16 feet tall and only two feet wide in a columnar shape ‘Pillar’ series which looks nice and well kept in a modern or straight line perennial garden design. Rose of Sharon does self seed but some non invasive cultivars have been genetically altered to prevent seed set such as the ‘Chiffon Series’ and ‘Satin Series’. There is also the ‘Lil Kim’ series and the ‘Pollypetite’ series bred to mature at just 3-4 feet tall. Though small and compact, these species pack a punch of color against a taller background. As of the writing of this article, a newly bred cultivar ‘Paraplu’ series boasts big colorful blooms of white, pink, purple or blue flowers covering shrubs reaching 5-8 feet width and bredth, making this species eye catching mixed in a middle height border.
HARDY HIBISCUS (Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus laevis)
Lastly, the Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus laevis) also known as Swamp or Rose Mallow, is native to North America. The head turning HUGE blooms of the Hardy Hibiscus grow 7-9 inches in colors ranging from Red to White. They are hardy to USDA zone 4 and bloom later than most varieties. Like Tropical Hibiscus, their blooms only last a day but they are striking and prolific. An herbaceous perennial, it dies down to the ground each year in winter, unlike Rose of Sharon whose woody stem remains in tact throughout the winter. In Spring, Hardy Hibiscus puts on growth at about an inch per day until it reaches its maximum height of 3-7 feet. There are newly bred cultivars, such as ‘Summerific’ that max out at 4-5 feet. I have noticed that the Rose of Sharon variety in The Perennial Garden are quite a bit more pest resistant compared to the Hardy Hibiscus, which really struggles with Japanese Beetle damage soon after it reaches its full stride in mid to late summer.
HIBISCUS, FRIEND OR FOE?
In closing, I conclude that the Hibiscus is a like a good friend to the Perennial Gardener, showing up when most other friends have flown. Hibiscus blooms hang in there, prolifically returning day after day. When most of the other blooming shrubs have given way to heat stress and the dehydration of late summer, Hibiscus provide another month or two of blooms in the perpetual theme and scheme of garden interest. Hibiscus can be grown from seed and also propagated by semi-hardwood cuttings taken in late Summer or Autumn. Tropical Hibiscus cuttings may have a lower success rate than Hardy Hibiscus cuttings, so try starting multiple cuttings to increase your chances.
So give Hibiscus a chance in your perennial garden……..and don’t forget your wide brimmed hat.
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