Native Plants
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Hibiscus coccineus
Hibiscus coccineus Walter
Scarlet Rosemallow, Crimson Rosemallow, Wild Red Mallow, Texas Star Hibiscus
Malvaceae (Mallow Family)
Synonym(s): Hibiscus semilobatus
USDA Symbol: HICO2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
The palmately divided leaves of this 4-7+ ft. rose-mallow are palmately cut and shiny. The flowers are deep-scarlet and over 6 in. in width. A large plant with big, showy, crimson flowers in upper leaf axils.
This very showy species, typical of the mallow family, is sometimes cultivated. It is certainly one of the loveliest of our native flowers.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 10 feet tall, often shorter.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: RedBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , VANative Distribution: FL to MS
Native Habitat: Swamp, marshes & ditches of the coastal plain
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: SunSoil Moisture: Wet
Soil Description: Wet soils.
Conditions Comments: Clumps of Hibiscus start to grow late in the season and flower over a long period in late summer.
Propagation
Description: Easily grown from seed.Commercially Avail: yes
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | OBL | OBL |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Longwood Gardens - Kennett Square, PA
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
Bibliography
Bibref 1620 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Reprint Edition) (2009) Wasowski, S. with A. WasowskiBibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
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Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Research Literature
Reslit 778 - Consequences of hydrochory in Hibiscus (2006) H. Kudoh, R. Shimamura, K. Takayama and D. F. Whig...Reslit 1453 - Effect of plant growth retardants on stem elongation of hibiscus species (2003) R. M. Warner and J. E. Erwin
Reslit 1454 - Effect of photoperiod and daily light integral on flowering of five Hibiscus species (2003) R. M. Warner and J. E. Erwin
Reslit 2101 - Effects of El-500 on Height and Lateral Shoot Development of Hibiscus coccineus Walt (1984) J. Fielek
Reslit 2694 - Our hardy Hibiscus species as ornamentals (1970) H. F. Winters
This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
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Additional resources
USDA: Find Hibiscus coccineus in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Hibiscus coccineus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hibiscus coccineus
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-02-14Research By: TWC Staff