How many hibiscus types are there

One of its most unique characteristics is that it is used in tropical areas to shine shoes, but it is also a great plant for containers and vases. Blooming from late-Summer through the Fall, this plant has large, rich-green leaves and soft-pink petals that have several layers and therefore look quite stunning.

They also change color as the day progresses, starting with white and turning to pink, then hot-pink, and finally a bright-red. They have won several international flower awards, and they can get up to 15 feet in height. With slightly cupped, bright-red petals and deep-green leaves with a purple overtone, this type of Hibiscus looks great as orders and grows only 4 feet tall. Perfect for containers and as a centerpiece, it produces petals in succession from top to bottom, making it very unique, and it thrives in moist, well-drained soil.

With pure-white blossoms that get up to 5 inches across, the Diana has soft-yellow centers and a very delicate look, which is one of the reasons it has won several international flower awards. It grows up to an impressive 10 feet in height, and it is tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought-like conditions.

It makes beautiful hedges and screens, and it is deer-resistant as well. This flower is quite large, getting up to 10 inches across, and it is velvet-like and bright-red in color, with a small, darker center.

It is tolerant of heat and humidity but should be kept away from areas that experience a lot of wind. Best when planted in full sun or partial shade, it looks great alongside ponds or streams and when placed in containers. This flower has slightly curved single petals in creamy-white or yellow and a beautiful dark-red center.

It grows up to 4 feet in height and has a center that also includes beautiful yellow stamens. This type of Hibiscus is quite unique because its petals are lacy and dangle from curvy stems that have beautiful dark-green leaves. With a look similar to Japanese lanterns, the Fringed Hibiscus has blossoms that are bright red or streaked red and pink, and the long stamens that hang down below the plant. With petals that are mostly found in a deep-pink with dark-red centers, this flower grows exceptionally large and has rich copper-purple foliage.

It thrives in full sun and in soils that are moist but well-drained, and even its leaves are a little larger than usual. Try them as a specimen plant or as a border to enjoy their full effect. This plant has petals that are large and usually blush-white and soft-pink in color, although other colors are possible.

Native to Hawaii, it grows easily, fast, and for a very long time, making it a very popular type of Hibiscus. Most of its colors are bright, and one of its varieties — the Hibiscus Brackenridge — is the official state flower of Hawaii. The Holy Grail is an eye-catcher because it has flowers that are deep-red in color and grows up to 9 inches wide. It is deer-resistant and has few disease problems as well. This plant has large, double-bloom petals in a beautiful lavender color and a soft-yellow center consisting of stamens.

Its broad, bright-green leaves bring out the ambiance of the petals, and it has won several international movie awards. Growing up to an impressive 12 feet high, it is deer-resistant and looks great as hedges or borders. These gorgeous violet-blue flowers look a bit like hollyhocks and have dark-purple centers and white stamens in the middle.

They are an eye-catcher even though on the small side for hibiscus — 4 inches across. It can grow up to 9 feet high and has beautiful dark-green foliage that looks magnificent next to the beauty of the petals. A well-branched, deciduous shrub consisting of large, magenta-colored petals, they bloom from mid- to late-Summer and get up to 5 feet in height.

Against the dark background of the foliage, the flowers seem to swirl with their variations of pink hue. This variety is well-branched and will form a four-foot-high and equally wide clump, creating a bold centerpiece in a border or container garden. Blooms will appear in midsummer and last all the way to the first frost. A full sun location is important for the dark foliage to develop.

Plants are available for purchase at Burpee. The huge 8-inch flowers have slightly overlapping petals, with an ever-so-slight ruffled texture, and the scarlet deepens to a dark red eye. Hardy to Zone 4, this vigorous grower will delight as an accent plant in borders, or a stately specimen when planted alone. Hardy to Zone 4 or 5, they tend towards a taller, more shrubby, upright appearance than the US native hybrids. Being a deciduous shrub, these plants will lose their leaves in fall. They are also slightly smaller, at 3 to 5 inches in diameter.

Ah, Aphrodite, goddess of love. Who can resist falling in love with her delicate pink blossoms, with lightly overlapping petals that shimmy in the breeze? With a dark red, almost star-shaped eye to draw you in, her four-inch flowers will seduce you from midsummer into late fall. To keep her blooming, she prefers a regular drink of water, and a sunny location. You can plant her as a hedge, at the back of borders to provide some height, or keep her alone as a specimen. Bare root plants are available at Nature Hills Nursery.

Her pale violet blue, four-inch flowers are semi-double, with five outer petals and a lacy center that gives her an almost frivolous appearance. She lacks the usual prominent stamen, it being covered by her inner petals. Plant her in full sun and water well. Thanks to her size, she makes an excellent screen, or foundation planting. Two to four-year-old plants ready to add color to your borders are available at Nature Hills Nursery.

The striking magenta eye seeps color along the petals, and contrasts with the light yellow stamen. An upright, bushy shrub that grows eight to ten feet tall and four to six feet wide at maturity, its ovate green leaves provide a perfect backdrop to the colorful blooms. This variety will tolerate salty soil and drought, but ideally it prefers even moisture, and organically rich soil.

You can find live plants in quart-sized containers from Nature Hills Nursery. Bright green foliage offsets the ruffled flowers that appear in midsummer and last until the middle of autumn. Hardy to Zone 5, this variety will reach a mature height of up to eight feet, with a spread of four feet — if you let it. Plant in full sun, in organically rich soil, and make sure to irrigate during dry spells. Find live bare root plants ready to add to your garden available at Home Depot. A red eye gently seeps scarlet veins into the outer petals.

As noted above, the hybridizer, Roderick Ian Woods, is better at breeding hibiscus than he is at naming them…. It grows up to ten feet tall, with a four to six-foot spread at maturity, and is a vigorous grower and bloomer. Flowers make an appearance in July, and continue into autumn, when the plant will drop its leaves in preparation for winter. This sterile variety can be propagated by cuttings and makes a dramatic addition to shrub borders, or in large containers for patio interest.

Plants are available at Burpee. Especially if you are growing her in a container. Two to four-year-old plants are available at Nature Hills Nursery. Her four-inch blooms appear in midsummer and add some much needed color to the early autumn garden. Vibrant green foliage grows in an upright, well-branched vase shape that will top out at eight to twelve feet tall, and four to six feet wide. Vigorous, she can be pruned into a small tree, or left to her own devices as part of a mass planting or grown as a hedge.

Dark green, glossy foliage grows on the well-branched, upright, dense form, and plants will mature to a height of six to nine feet tall, with a spread of five to seven feet. Full sun and well-draining soil are essential, and make sure to water regularly during hot spells. Prune in early spring, before flower buds have formed. And in the case of well-established, dense plants, thin out some of the older branches at ground level to promote airflow. You can find bare root plants or live plants in quart-sized containers from Nature Hills Nursery.

Bright pink outer petals with crimson streaks from the deep red eye frame the central, fluffy petaloids. Grow in mixed borders, or enjoy as a specimen plant.

The graceful blooms will adorn your garden from midsummer to late fall — when the dark green leaves will drop. The name gives us a clue as to what makes this variety unique: it grows in an upright column instead of having the wide, spreading form of most H.

Purple semi-double flowers with a large red eye that extends almost halfway along the outer petals provide a truly bicolored appearance. The unusual upright habit makes this variety perfect for smaller spaces, as an accent plant beside an entrance way, or planted in containers.

It does not require pruning to maintain the pillar-like shape, although you can prune the top to prevent it becoming too tall. He propagated this plant by cuttings and gave some to his friend Francesco Gandini, a horticulturalist in Italy.

Plant in a full sun location with well-draining soil, and maintain even moisture. If you want to add a tropical look to your backyard, these snowy-white, four-inch flowers with a large scarlet eye that frames the white stamen cone might be just what you are looking for. Enjoy as a specimen plant, grow two or more as an imposing hedge, or add to perennial borders for some lighthearted, tropical appeal later in the season. As with most H.

Leaves will drop in late fall, and plants will begin to fill out again in mid to late spring. You can find bare root plants to add to your garden available at Nature Hills Nursery. Gentle pink, three to four-inch double flowers with hints of raspberry at the edges have five outer petals that frame the delicate ruffled petaloids in the center. As a semi-dwarf variety, she grows five to six feet tall at maturity, with a four to six-foot spread. The eye-catching blue-green and creamy white foliage grows on a compact shrub of only three to four feet tall and wide at maturity.

The blooms sport a dark red eye, which is only just visible behind the central, ruffled petaloids. Add to perennial borders, or grow it as a standalone feature plant in a sunny location. Delicate, snowy-white, semi-double flowers with ruffled petaloids provide an understated, soothing appearance set against the bright green foliage. Fast growing, this variety forms an upright vase shape of eight to ten feet tall, and spreads four to six feet wide at maturity.

In their natural habitat they thrive in hot, humid locations, with a lot of sun and little to no cold weather. In the right conditions, these tropical varieties will bloom from early spring until late fall, adorning your garden with their magnificent colors on huge, elegant flowers.

All the varieties below are hybrids of H. This type of hibiscus is beloved by gardeners and artists alike. Prepare to feast your eyes on these unusual cultivars and transport yourself to a tropical paradise. Plants have been known to die suddenly from stresses such as over- or under-watering.

Awarded Hibiscus of the Year in by the American Hibiscus Society, this slow-growing shrub can be kept in containers, planted as a specimen, or used to add interest to mixed tropical plantings.

As it has quite an open, spreading habit, you may need to stake the branches, or allow them to spill over the sides of containers. A bright red, four to five-inch flower opens up one morning, as you would expect, with ruffled petals, and the characteristic long staminal column. Delicate splashes of white from the central eye dot the scarlet blooms, adding to its unique charm. Bright green foliage offsets the vibrant red blooms. It can also be pruned into a tree shape, planted in mixed borders, or grown as a hedge.

Reaching a lofty eight feet tall, this variety responds well to pruning, and will grow vigorously under the right conditions. Plenty of sun, adequate water, and rich, fertile soil will have this beauty gracing your landscape with its unusual flowers year after year. Five-inch plants are available via Amazon.

Her four-inch flowers bloom profusely on a strong, upright shrub that lends itself well to container growing or livening up a border. Reaching four to six feet tall and wide at maturity, this cultivar responds well to pruning. Suitable for Zones 9 and above, you will need to provide adequate winter protection, as — like all the tropical varieties — she will not survive a hard frost. In fertile, well-draining soil, with plenty of sun and adequate water you can enjoy her delicate, dramatic blooms almost year-round.

The carnival colors of the six to eight-inch blooms are framed by bright green, shiny foliage, and the flowers will last up to three days.

With an upright spreading habit, this variety responds well to pruning and you can persuade her into a tree shape, or a compact, low shrub. Left to her own devices, she can reach a mature height of eight feet, with a spread of six feet.

A vivid, bright red eye gives way to pinks and reds, with golden sunset-yellow at the edge of her six to eight-inch petals. Occasional white streaks add texture to this already exquisite blossom. As with most other tropical hibiscus cultivars, it thrives in containers and can be pruned to suit your garden style. Provide rich, well-draining soil, and fertilize twice a year for best results. A vigorous grower, this lady takes an upright, rounded form, with dense foliage and a mature height of six to eight feet, and a four to six-foot spread.

Prune her however you like, just be sure to do it before or after flowering. A deep red eye fades softly into the lightly ruffled petals that stand out in contrast with the light green foliage. Bring some elegance to your landscape with these delicate, yet vivid blooms. I started this article from a memory. Hibiscus flowers are trumpet-shaped, showy blooms that often have brightly-colored ruffled petals. Flowers on hibiscus plants only last for one to three days.

However, hibiscus flowering shrubs and trees produce blossoms throughout the growing season. Hardy hibiscus cultivars bloom from mid-summer until fall. On the other hand, tropical hibiscus varieties can bloom throughout the year, right through mild winters.

Hardy hibiscus flowers are single blooms in colors of white, pink, purple or red and can be very large. Generally, flowers on hardy hibiscus shrubs are larger than the tropical varieties. But all hibiscus shrubs and small potted trees are known for their showy, tropical blooms in dazzling array of colors. Leaves of tropical hibiscus left vs. Tropical hibiscus plants tend to have darker glossier green leaves, whereas hardy hibiscus leaves are duller green and are usually heart-shaped. Hibiscus is a shrubby plant with dense leafy foliage.

Generally, tropical hibiscus leaves are dark green with a glossy finish. Hardy hibiscus is a group of flowering perennial shrubs with deciduous foliage. Hardy hibiscus leaves are dull green with serrated edges and are usually heart-shaped. Depending on the cultivar, the leaves can have deep lobes.

Like most deciduous plants, rose of Sharon and rose mallows drop their leaves in late fall. When the weather warms in spring, hardy hibiscus has vigorous growth and soon becomes a leafy bush producing exotic flowers. Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus —This hardy hibiscus is a fast-growing shrub with large trumpet-like flowers. Rose of Sharon has showy single or double blooms in red, blue, purple, white, and pink hues.

The hardy Rose of Sharon grows between 8 and 12 ft. Rose mallow Hibiscus moscheutos —Rose mallows are hardy hibiscus plants with enormous hollyhock-like flowers. The hardy hibiscus perennial blooms continuously throughout the summer. Rose mallow grows between 3 and 7 ft. Chinese hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis —This tropical hibiscus has large, funnel-shaped flowers that come in a wide array of colors, such as pink, red, yellow, or peach flowers. The large, showy blooms with papery petals measure between 1.

Chinese tropical hibiscus grows between 8 and 16 ft 2. Hawaiian white hibiscus Hibiscus arnottianus —This Hawaiian hibiscus is an ornamental shrub with large fragrant white flowers. The brilliant white petals contrast with long red stamens emerging from the funnel flowers. These large shrubs grow between 10 and 30 ft. Hawaiian white hibiscus Hibiscus arnottianus.

Rose mallow Hibiscus moscheutos is a species of hardy hibiscus shrubs famous for their large tropical-looking blooms. Also called swamp rose mallow, cultivars from these hardy hibiscuses thrive in zones 5 through 9, with some even surviving in zone 4. Related reading: How to care for hardy hibiscus shrubs.

The disc-like flowers are a deep magenta-pink color with a crimson red eye in the center. Foliage on this small shrub is maple-like, dark green leaves. The rounded shrub blooms continually from mid-summer until fall. This shrubby hibiscus is also ideal for growing in containers. However, the hibiscus is in constant bloom from mid-summer until the fall.