Annuals & Biennials

Hibiscus
hibiscus

- Height 15-96 in (45-240 cm)
- Planting distance 9-24 in (23-60 cm)
- Flowers late summer to early fall
- Rich, moist, well-drained soil
- Sunny, sheltered site
- Hardy or half-hardy annual

There are few more exotic-looking plants than the hibiscus hybrids with their wide, funnel-shaped richly colored flowers. They are showy but rather short-lived, though more blooms follow in quick succession. The plants are suitable as accent plants in mixed borders, for bedding displays, and for growing in tubs on the patio.

Popular species and cultivars
Hibiscus moscheutos is moderately hardy perennial usually treated as a half-hardy annual. The species is rarely grown, having been superseded by F1 hybrids such as 'Disco Belle' (syn. 'Les Belles'). Some of these hybrids grow up to 8 in (20 cm) or more wide; they are pure white, sometimes with rosy centers, or pink or deep cerise-red. A pure white form, 'Disco Belle White,' is also available. Hibiscus trionum (flower-of-an-hour) is a hardy bushy annual, up to 4 ft (120 cm) tall, with dark green coarsely toothed leaves. The five-petaled creamy white flowers with chocolate-maroon centers are much smaller, about 2 in (5 cm) wide, and very short-lived, but they are produced continuously during late summer and early fall. The cultivar 'Sunnyday' (15 in/38 cm high) has cool lemon-yellow blooms with purple-black centers.

Annuals
and
Biennials