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Hibiscus elatus
Also called Hibiscus
Hibiscus elatus, the blue mahoe, is a fast-growing tree from Cuba, Jamaica and nearby islands, grown mainly for its timber and for reforestation. It does best in warm, frost-free sites with plenty of sun and room to grow, since it can reach 20 m or more.
Hibiscus elatus, synonym Talipariti elatum, known typically as the blue mahoe or majó azul, is a species of flowering tree in the mallow family, Malvaceae.
Hibiscus elatus is native to the islands of Cuba, Jamaica the US. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. In wetter areas it will grow in a wide range of elevations, up to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and is often used in reforestation. It is the national tree of Jamaica.
The blue mahoe is a beautiful and durable timber that is widely used for cabinet making and making decorative objects such as picture frames, bowls and wood carvings.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hibiscus elatus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
