introduction
The Texas star hibiscus is a beautiful showy hibiscus with star-shaped blooms in either red or white depending on the plant. Its palmate leaves somewhat resemble marijuana, but it is not itself psychoactive. This is a plant that has a winter dormancy period during which it appears dead for a while, but it returns in spring. Some gardeners mistakenly think their plant died when this happens and discard perfectly fine plants. The Texas star hibiscus gets quite tall - 6 to 8 feet!
habitat and ecology
The Texas star hibiscus is native to the Southeastern United States - despite its name, its range actually does not include Texas. It grows in swamps and marshes along the coastal plain and is an important plant for pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, moths, beetles, and butterflies. Specifically, it attracts the rose-mallow bee and is a larval host for the gray hairstreak, painted lady butterfly, common checkered skipper, tropical checkered skipper butterflies, pearly wood nymph, yellow scallop moth, Io moth, and bird-dropping moths.
history and news
Hibiscus coccineus has been used in the breeding of garden hybrids, such as the Avalon hybrids created by Rex D. Pearce through a cross with Hibiscus militaris, since at least the 1950s. These two species were also used in a hybridization program at the Tashkent Botanical Garden, along with Hibiscus moscheutos, and their descendants are now very popular as ornamental plants in Uzbekistan.
cultivation
The Texas star hibiscus is hardy in US zones 6-9, and should be mulched in winter to protect its roots. During its dormancy, do not panic - it will come back! It likes to be kept moist and can handle waterlogged conditions for a little while. It can easily be propagated from seed. Plenty of sunlight is important for this plant. Fertilizer is not generally needed and risks harming the plant if overapplied. It's a great plant for attracting pollinators to your garden, especially in its native range. It is also one of the more unique Hibiscus species available for home gardens!
citations
Florida Native Plant Society. (2002). Hibiscus coccineus. Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS). Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://www.fnps.org/plant/hibiscus-coccineus
Florida Wildflower Foundation, Inc. (2014, July 31). Scarlet Hibiscus. Florida Wildflower Foundation. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://www.flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-hibiscus-coccineus/
Harold F. Winters. (1970). Our Hardy Hibiscus Species as Ornamentals. Economic Botany, 24(2), 155–164. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4253137
Hibiscus coccineus Walter. USDA plants database. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=HICO2
Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Hibiscus coccineus . Hibiscus coccineus - Plant Finder. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=282585&isprofile=1&basic=hibiscus+coccineus
NC State University, NC A&T University. (n.d.). Hibiscus coccineus. Hibiscus coccineus (Red Hibiscus, Scarlet Rose Mallow, Texas Hibiscus) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hibiscus-coccineus/
Smith, B. H. (2021, August 2). Scarlet swamp hibiscus. Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://hgic.clemson.edu/scarlet-swamp-hibiscus/
TWC Staff. (2016, January 13). Plant database. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HICO2&__cf_chl_tk=cjDpVVaFHusrnu1P4taVHG1rw5Q_nwu8DSjB9USdW0w-1665260121-0-gaNycGzNCH0