Perennial Hibiscus – Perennial Highlight

Did you know that you can add tropical flair to your Cape Cod garden? While palm trees may not be the move, the show-stopper of late summer is the Perennial Hibiscus.  

Also known as ‘Rose Mallow’, cultivated varieties are hybrids of Hibiscus moscheutos, or Swamp rose-mallow, a plant native to wetland areas of the Eastern United States.

Native Hibiscus moscheutos, Credit: Go Botany Native Plant Trust 

These plants thrive in full sun and moist soil and will reward you with awesome dinner-plate sized blooms in August, just as your early summer bloomers are fading. They are a perfect focal point in a rain garden or planted next to an outdoor shower.  

Summerific ‘Garnet Globes’ (up to 4′ tall) 

Maintenance 

• The Perennial Hibiscus is one of the last perennials to show signs of life in the spring, so be patient! Trim the dead wood down to just a few inches in the spring – you may need loppers – and new growth will appear from the ground around the end of May. If desired, you can give your plant a haircut once you have leaves (up to half of the height), but before it buds, to encourage a bushier growth habit and more blooms as you might do with other fall flowering plants.  

• Fresh compost and mulch around the base of your hibiscus each season is encouraged to retain moisture. 

• The foliage of these plants is very desirable to Japanese beetles and the aptly named Hibiscus sawfly. A couple applications of Spinosad in June should mitigate damage from these insects. 

Varieties of Proven Winners Summerific Hibiscus in stock now: 

‘Cookies and Cream’ (up to 3′ tall) 

Ballet Slippers’ (up to 4′ tall) 

‘Valentine’s Crush’ (up to 6′ tall) 

‘Edge of Night’ (up to 4′ tall)