For Flowers That Return Year After Year, Grow Hardy Hibiscus

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If you crave vibrant color and showy flowers, plant a hardy hibiscus in your garden. With huge blooms that can reach the size of dinner plates, these perennials instantly transport you to the tropics.

“They’re a native North American plant that’s colorful and easy to grow,” says Justin Hancock, horticulturalist with Costa Farms. Plus, “they’re a great entry-level plant for new gardeners. And it’s unexpected to see such an exotic-looking flower in a colder climate.”

Pollinators love them, too!

These shrubby perennials with red, pink or lavender-grey blooms grow in swampy areas in their native habitat, but they’re surprisingly drought-tolerant once established, notes Hancock.

Hardy hibiscus, also called perennial hibiscus, blooms all summer, then dies back to the ground in winter. But they will pop up again next year in late spring.

Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) often is confused with tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), a plant with similar characteristics.

Tropical hibiscus comes in a wider range of colors. However, it's not frost tolerant.

Here’s what you need to know about hardy hibiscus:

Hardy Hibiscus Highlights

• Common Name: Hibiscus

• Botanical Name: Hibiscus moscheutos

• Plant Family: Malvaceae

• Type of Plant: Perennial

• Native Origin: North America

• Sun Exposure: Full sun

• Preferred Soil Type/pH Range: Well-draining/ Slightly acidic to neutral

• Mature Size: 3 to 7 feet wide, 2 to 4 feet tall

• Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9

How Do I Grow Hardy Hibiscus?

Give these plants full sun, which is considered at least 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day. “They can bake all day and still look good,” says Hancock.

Dig a hole about 2 to 3 times the width of the pot, and place the plant in ground at the same level it was in the container. Backfill soil, tamp down, and water well.

Keep the plant moist, not soggy, as it’s getting established for the first six months, so that it puts down a healthy root system. Water regularly during dry spells in subsequent years.

Can You Grow Hardy Hibiscus in Containers?

You can, but it’s not ideal unless you can bring the container into a sheltered location. Keep the pot in your garage or unheated basement for the winter months if you live in a cold climate, says Hancock.

Should I Fertilize Hardy Hibiscus?

Fertilizing will definitely help them push more blooms, says Hancock. Feed with any balanced, general-purpose extended release fertilizer in the spring.

Should I Cut Back My Hardy Hibiscus?

The shrubby plant dies back to the ground, so you can remove the tough, woody stems in the spring before foliage appears. New growth will emerge from the root system so you don’t need these stems to remain, says Hancock.

Is Hardy Hibiscus Edible?

You may wonder if you can use hibiscus flowers in recipes such as Hibiscus-Mint Lemonade, but hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) is not the same plant as the type of hibiscus typically used to make teas or other beverages.

The flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa are the ones used for teas.

Hardy hibiscus is not poisonous, the leaf buds, young leaves and flowers of hardy hibiscus can be cooked or eaten raw.

The downside: They have a gelatinous consistency, reminiscent of okra, and they are not particularly flavorful.

Is My Hardy Hibiscus Dead?

Be patient with this perennial; it’s one of the last to wake up in the spring, so don’t give up on it too early!

You may not see the first shoots until late May to early June, depending on where you live, says Hancock. Plant ground covers or spring-blooming bulbs to fill in around the bare area while you’re waiting for it to pop up.

'Plum Flambe' Hardy Hibiscus

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