Rose Mallow (Perennial Hibiscus)
Zones: 4 to 9
Light: Sun
Bloom Time: Late Summer to Fall (earlier in the South)
Height: 3′ to 5′ (depending on the variety)
Spread: 3′ to 5′
Hardy Hibiscus or Rose Mallow is a native perennial with HUGE blooms (up to 10 inches across!) that look tropical even though they’re not.
It thrives in full sun and loves wet soil. So make sure it doesn’t get too dried out.
Having said that, Rose Mallow is very adaptable to pretty much any other type of soil conditions – clay or sand, acidic or alkaline…it will grow well in any of them.
Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds love the brightly-colored flowers. Deer and rabbits do not.
Hardy Hibiscus grows on woody stems that look like branches but die down to the ground in the winter.
As you can see from this picture, it is susceptible to caterpillars which eat the leaves.
Although they don’t seem to prevent the plant from growing, the big holes in the foliage don’t look that great. Washing with an insecticidal soap helps to prevent this.
This is one of the last perennials to come up in the spring, so don’t be worried if it seems like it’s not coming back…it probably just needs a little more time.
This post was originally published on June 16, 2020 but was updated with new content on June 18, 2022.