Great Red Hibiscus
Common Name: Great Red Hibiscus[1]
Scientific Name: Hibiscus coccineus
Description: Hardy, herbaceous North American perennial; large, bright scarlet blossoms open from upper branches in late summer until frost; orange and yellow fall color
Size: Grows to 7 feet high and 6 feet wide; multi-stemmed
Cultural Information: Prefers full sun to light shade and moist, well-drained soil
USDA Zones: 6b through 10
Historical Notes: This southeastern U.S. native was first named in the late 18th century and was soon being grown by avid American gardeners of the day—notably William Bartram, George Washington, and Jean Skipwith of Rappahannock in Virginia. Peter Collinson of London saw a painting of the flower done by Bartram, and asked for seeds to be sent from Charleston, South Carolina.[2] In spite of its early popularity, and its use in hybridizing modern hibiscus cultivars, there is little evidence that this species was widely grown in early American gardens. Also known as “Star of Texas,” this showy perennial is suitable for border plantings, as an accent plant, or grown in containers.
Footnotes
- ↑ This article is based on a Center for Historic Plants Information Sheet.
- ↑ Ann Leighton, American Gardens in the Eighteenth Century (Amherst: The University of Massachusetts Press, 1986), 429.
Further Sources
- Coates, Alice M. Flowers and their Histories. London: Black, 1968. See pp. 118
- Cornett, Peggy. "In the Company of Gardeners: The Flower Diaries of Jefferson, Skipwith, and Faris", Twinleaf, January 2000
- Dutton, Joan Parry. Plants of Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg: Colonial Williamsburg, 1979
- Seeds available for purchase at Monticello Museum Shop
- Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants
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