Hibiscus for Garden Color

Few flowers deliver as much color and presence as hibiscus. The giant rose mallow strain produces enormous five-petaled blooms — from red and rose to shell-pink and white with a crimson eye — that flower from midsummer straight through to frost.

Growing and Propagating

Hibiscus wants rich, well-drained soil and sends up fresh growth each spring — cut the old stalks to the ground each fall to make room. Propagate from seed soaked in warm water and sown in late spring once the days have warmed, keeping the soil moist until growth appears; blooms won't arrive until the second year from seed. Root divisions from established plants, or cuttings kept under a fruit jar or in a shaded bed, are a faster route to new plants. Flowers stay open longer with a little shade, and on cloudy or cool days they may stay open all day.

A Good Companion: Blue Daisy

The blue daisy (Felicia amelloides), a South African native with true sky-blue flowers and a yellow center, pairs beautifully with hibiscus and thrives in sun or partial shade with little care. It blooms heaviest from April through June, but shearing the top back hard can keep it flowering for months. Propagate by seed, cuttings, or layering, since lower branches root where they touch moist soil.