Which hardy hibiscus set true seed?

I've been pondering this question after reading JimsGarden's thread, and buying some "Turn Of the Century" seed myself on Ebay earlier this week. Ebay is a great source of confusion, as unreputable vendors sell seeds for all kinds of hibiscus that will never grow true to parent.........

I know that Star of Texas Red and White Hibiscus seeds come true........and supposedly the Lunas. What about the Turn of the Century I just bought? Can you think of any other hardies that both set seed AND are true to seed?

Darkmoondreamer,

The Texas Red Star and Texas White Star are color variations of the species Hibiscus coccineus which can be found in the wild in both color forms and each will breed true. Must hardy Hibiscus are of extremely varied ancestry being hybrids of as many as four or more Hibiscus species. It is very unlikely that such hardy hybrid Hibiscus will breed true. If you line breed a hybrid Hibiscus long enough it will start breeding true to form but I can’t sight a specific example. I suspect that some of the older hardy Hibiscus, which have not been overly engineered will breed truer to form.

In some of the seed catalogs, there may be some Hibiscus cultivates which may breed truer than others but you will have to order the seeds to find out. I would be interested in any named hardy Hibiscus cultivates which do breed true.

Mike

Thank you Mike, I appreciate your response. I'm assuming my Turn of the Century seeds will make pretty plants, just not what I thought. I'm probably better off to buy a parent if I want the real thing.

i planted Hibiscus laevis (Halberd Leaved Swamp Mallow) from seeds last year.. i went a little crazy and planted about 50 seeds thinking most would die over winter.. well i think they all came back.. i had to move the all around my yard. i have very light pink almost white and white ones. They look the same as in the pictures on here, from the eye i cant make out any differences.. In all my many plants they are they same.. so i would say these come as true as i can tell...

I have also planted a few other kinds where i can tell the differences.. I have a clump of Carafe Grenache and there is two stems that are clearly different from the others.

I would agree with mike the older ones you would have a better chance..

yes the only way to get the one you want is to get the plant, although sometimes the differences is fun too...

jen

Jen,

Hibiscus laevis (Syn. H. militaris) is a species Hibiscus and its native range extends as far north as your location in Ontario Canada, so it will always breed true.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HILA2

In a seed shipment of Hibiscus aculeatus (Comfortroot) about half of the seeds are not H. aculeatus and I am starting to strongly suspect that they may be H. laevis or H. palustris but they have yet to flower as I planted late in the spring. Like you, I over-planted the seeds and I now have more plants than I need of both species for my H. aculeatus project.

You mentioned that some of your H. laevis are producing white flowers. Are these pure white flowers with no red-eye? If they are pure white, what percentage of the plans yield this color? If you have a white H. laevis can you post a picture?

Mike

No mike there not a solid white, however that would be a pretty flower.. The have a fushia eye.. The pinks are the same just with a more soft pink petal. good to know they will always breed true..the ones i had that were different are h. moscheutos