Hibiscus: How are your hardy Hibiscuses this year?, 3 by Michael_Ronayne

Michael_Ronayne wrote:
Attached are three pictures of the Hibiscus Annie J. Hemming (PP835) flower with five, six and seven petals. The Annie J. Hemming was the first Hibiscus, of any type, to be awarded a US Plant Patent on May 10, 1949 to Ernest Hemming.

HYBRID MALLOW PLANT
http://www.google.com/patents?id=wbdyAAAAEBAJ&printsec=front...

Because the Hibiscus was not named in the Plant Patent, it is also know as the Hemming Red. This may be one of the oldest identifiable heirloom Hibiscus still in existence and commercially available. In addition to producing flowers with extra petals, the leaves are smooth and shinny. It is a document fact that Ernest Hemming didn’t like Hibiscus with fussy leaves.

Ernest Hemming created the first Hardy Hibiscus which was commercially introduced in 1907 under the name “Meehan Mallow Marvels” and sold by the Thomas Meehan Nursery for whom he worked. Several years after the introduction of the “Meehan Mallow Marvels” the Nursery stated that one of their objectives was the breeding of a hardy double. It is suspected that the Annie J. Hemming was Ernest Hemming’s final effort toward achieving that goal.

Mike