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Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis
Also called China rose, Chinese Hibiscus, Shoeflower, Hibiscus, Hawaiian Hibiscus, Rose Of China, Shoe Black Plant
Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis is a cultivated hybrid shrub in the Malvaceae family, widely grown for its large showy flowers in tropical and subtropical gardens. It needs warmth, good light and regular watering, and is frost-tender.
Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis (known colloquially as Chinese hibiscus, China rose, Hawaiian hibiscus, rose mallow and shoeblack plant) is a cultigen of tropical hibiscus, a flowering plant in the Hibiscus genus and Hibisceae tribe of the family Malvaceae.
It is an artificial hybrid created in cultivation during the pre-Columbian era by Polynesians in the west Pacific from the species Hibiscus cooperi and H. kaute (native to Vanuatu and French Polynesia, respectively). It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in the tropics and subtropics. The hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia, where it holds official status, and is also considered the unofficial national flower of Haiti.
Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis is widely grown as an ornamental plant throughout the tropics and subtropics. As it does not tolerate temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F), in temperate regions it is best grown under glass. Plants grown in containers may be placed outside during the summer months and moved into shelter during the winter months.
Numerous cultivars exist, with flower colors ranging from white through yellow and orange to scarlet and shades of pink, with both single and double sets of petals. The cultivar 'Cooperi' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Despite its size and colorful hues which are typically attractive to nectarivore birds, the flowers of Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis are not visited regularly by hummingbirds when grown in the Neotropics. Generalist species, like the sapphire-spangled emerald (Amazilia lactea), or long-billed species, like the stripe-breasted starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) are occasionally seen to visit the flowers. In the subtropical and temperate Americas, hummingbirds are regularly attracted to hibiscus.
The flowers of H. × rosa-sinensis are edible and are used in salads in the Pacific Islands. The flower is used as an accessory, particularly as a hairpiece. It is also used to shine shoes in certain parts of India, hence the common name "shoeblack plant". In Indonesia and Malaysia, these flowers are called "kembang sepatu" or "bunga sepatu", which literally means "shoe flower". The flower can also be used as a pH indicator; when used, the flower turns acidic solutions to a dark pink or magenta color and turns basic solutions to green. In several countries the flowers are dried to use in a beverage, usually tea.
Alyogyne hakeifolia · Alyogyne huegelii · African rosemallow · Kenaf · Scarlet rosemallow · Desert rosemallow · Paleface · Philip Island hibiscus · Hibiscus · Heartleaf rosemallow · Muenchhusia moscheutos · Dixie rosemallow
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis 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.
