Perennial Hibiscus
The perennial Hibiscus moscheutos – our common rose mallow or marsh mallow can be found statewide in swampy areas. Large white flowers are the norm, on this tall growing plant. Numerous cultivars have been released as ornamental perennials, giving us the ‘Disco Belle’ series of two to three foot tall plants, to the larger ‘Southern Belle’ with six foot plus stalks. These plants bloom from June through early fall, with flowers as large as dinner plates. Colors range from white, to pink to maroon, with some bi-colors thrown in. While the plants do form large woody stalks, they die completely to the ground during the winter. They don’t begin to grow in the spring, until the soil temperature has warmed up. Give them room to grow, since they can be quite large, over time. The more sunlight the better, and they do much better in a moist environment with high organic matter. The large, coarse leaves often are chewed on by various leaf eating insects. Unless it really takes away from the beauty of the plant, it doesn’t hurt the flowering ability at all. Woody seed capsules appear after bloom. They can be planted in the spring, but often benefit from soaking overnight before being sown. You can also scatter seeds out in the fall, and allow them to come up in the spring.