7 Facts on the Hibiscus

Geography

• The scientific name, Hibiscus syriacus, arose from the wrong assumption that the species originated in Syria, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden. In reality, the hibiscus grows native from India to China, with its bloom designated as South Korea's national flower.

Size and Form

• The hibiscus features a vase-like appearance, broader at the top than at its base. It grows between 8 and 12 feet tall and possesses a spread as wide as 10 feet at its top. Most hibiscus shrubs have multiple stems although by pruning it a young age, you can train the hibiscus into a single-stemmed, tree-like plant.

USDA Zones

• Cold hardiness is not a characteristic of the hibiscus. In North America, it handles the winters as cold as U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone 5. Extremely hot and humid summers can also cause it distress, making it suitable only to USDA Zone 8.

Leaves

• The foliage on the hibiscus typically emerges late in spring, with the leaves featuring three distinct lobes. They are as long as 4 inches and are sometimes glossy, reports the University of Connecticut Plant Database. The foliage is dark green, with the fall color a yellow shade of green that is not particularly showy. The leaves remain on the hibiscus late into the autumn season.

Flowers

• Flowers that appear well after those of many other shrubs are another feature of the hibiscus. Its flowers bloom in July and continue to show up through September. As wide as 4 inches, hibiscus flowers are pink with reddish centers. They have five petals and eventually produce a seed capsule as long as 3/4-inch that usually manages to cling to the twigs through winter.

Growing Conditions

• To achieve the best flowering effect from a hibiscus, plant it in an area that gets full sunshine. The shrub thrives where it is damp and the soil has organic matter in it. Urban conditions do not normally deter a hibiscus from growing. Pruning a hibiscus every year generates new growth that, in turn, can promote bigger flowers.

Variety

• Dozens of cultivars of the hibiscus are available to landscapers. Among them is Blue Bird, featuring blue flowers, and Pink Giant, with pink flowers 5 inches wide. There are also cultivars that generate white-, magenta-, lavender-, purple- and rose-colored flowers.