Hibiscus: Crimson Eyed Rose Mallow Hardy (Hibiscus moscheutos)
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$1.00 - $5.60
$1.00
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Rose mallow is an excellent showy species for moist, sunny sites. Large, 6-8 inch blossoms with 5 petals cover the plant and are enjoyed by hummingbirds. While the individual flowers only last one day, the plant is so covered with individual blossoms that it blooms for quite a long time. 100% of proceeds on this variety will be donated towards the establishment of a community garden.
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Scientific Name: Hibiscus moscheutos
Also Known As: Marshmallow Hibiscus and Swamp Rose Mallow.
Ease of Growing: Easy
Grown As: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Maturity (Blooms): Jul , Aug , Sep.
Hardiness: This variety is very hardy and can tolerate frozen temperatures up to -13°.
Water: High
Light: Sun: min. 6 hours daily (Warm, Hot). Full sun.
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil pH: Acidic (pH 6.8)
Aquatic: yes
Soil Description: Moist to wet, slightly acidic soils, fine-medium textured.
Conditions Comments: Clumps of Hibiscus start to grow late in the season and flower over a long period in late summer.
Attracts Beneficials: Yes. Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds. The foliage may be used as a butterfly larval host by Hairstreaks, Blues, Coppers, and others.
Containers?: Yes.
Plant Size: 3-6'
Spacing: 2-3'
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-10 (mulch in 5, 6, 7, 8)
Produces: 6-8" wide white to pink flowers with a dark burgundy eye that are enjoyed by hummingbirds.
Uses: Excellent for adding bold summer color to the perennial garden and landscape. You can also use them as the center piece for large container gardens, in bog gardens, at the edges of ponds, or in any other sunny and consistently moist site.
Also Known As: Marshmallow Hibiscus and Swamp Rose Mallow.
Ease of Growing: Easy
Grown As: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Maturity (Blooms): Jul , Aug , Sep.
Hardiness: This variety is very hardy and can tolerate frozen temperatures up to -13°.
Water: High
Light: Sun: min. 6 hours daily (Warm, Hot). Full sun.
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil pH: Acidic (pH 6.8)
Aquatic: yes
Soil Description: Moist to wet, slightly acidic soils, fine-medium textured.
Conditions Comments: Clumps of Hibiscus start to grow late in the season and flower over a long period in late summer.
Attracts Beneficials: Yes. Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds. The foliage may be used as a butterfly larval host by Hairstreaks, Blues, Coppers, and others.
Containers?: Yes.
Plant Size: 3-6'
Spacing: 2-3'
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-10 (mulch in 5, 6, 7, 8)
Produces: 6-8" wide white to pink flowers with a dark burgundy eye that are enjoyed by hummingbirds.
Uses: Excellent for adding bold summer color to the perennial garden and landscape. You can also use them as the center piece for large container gardens, in bog gardens, at the edges of ponds, or in any other sunny and consistently moist site.
Rose mallow is easily grown from seed. Tip cuttings taken in early July root readily with adequate mist. They are all slow to emerge in spring and wait for the signal of warmer soil temperatures before they begin to show themselves.
Common to moist and wet areas as the name implies but is quite happy in average moist garden soils. It enjoys a fertile soil as well as ample moisture during the growing season for the best flowering and growth. Otherwise the only maintenance that these perennials generally require is to remove the dead stems at the end of the year.
Hibiscus is super easy to care for. Plant them in a sunny area and keep them watered as needed. They are fast growing so they do need plenty of water. During the growing season just water and leave them unpruned. When they start blooming it’s important to dead head them (remove the spent flower blossoms). If you do that, they will reward you with more and more of those big beautiful blooms.
They are perennials so come fall the frost will kill the top of the plants but the roots will be fine. Sometime after they have gone through a hard freeze where the temperatures drop below freezing for at least a few hours go ahead and cut them back to stubs or only three or four inches from the ground. If you want you can wait and do this early spring.
Come spring they are a little slow to get started so be patient. But once they start growing they really take off and by the end of July, early August they start making flowers.
They are perennials so come fall the frost will kill the top of the plants but the roots will be fine. Sometime after they have gone through a hard freeze where the temperatures drop below freezing for at least a few hours go ahead and cut them back to stubs or only three or four inches from the ground. If you want you can wait and do this early spring.
Come spring they are a little slow to get started so be patient. But once they start growing they really take off and by the end of July, early August they start making flowers.
You can deadhead the spent flowers if you don’t like their appearance, but they fall off on their own in a day or two. In very wet conditions, rosemallow will reseed readily. If this is the case and such reseeding is unwanted, just deadhead and cut the stems down for the winter. Otherwise you can let the stems and seed heads stay for winter interest and then cut the dead stems back in the spring to make way for the new growth. Beaked capsules mature and turn brown withing 4-5 weeks from flowering. Seeds are ready to collect when they are dark-brown. If necessary, separate good seeds from those infested with weevils and store in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Try pairing Hibiscus moscheutos with Asclepias incarnata, Eupatorium fistulosum, Helianthus angustifolius, Lobelia cardinalis and Panicum virgatum.
Suggested Varieties
Milkweed: Swamp (Asclepias incarnata)
$1.00 - $5.60
As the name indicates, these swamp milkweed seeds for sale thrive in swamps and low meadows or along streams. The bright pink flowers attract swarms of bees and butterflies, and have a sweet scent described as similar to vanilla or cinnamon. At one time, the silk from swamp milkweed seed pods was spun for fabric or used for stuffing pillows; in World War II, school children gathered the silk to provide a cheap filling for soldiers' life jackets. Commercial attempts to make use of this abundant plant included the manufacture of paper, fabric, lubricant, fuel, and rubber; eventually these became impractical and were abandoned. Though this plant is toxic to most animals, butterflies are immune to the plant's poison and actually become rather poisonous themselves as protection from predators.