I need an ID on my Hibiscus

SOLVED. Thanks everyone. It is a False Roselle.(Hibiscus acetosella)


I have a hibiscus that someone gave me, and they didn't know what kind it was. I hope you all can help me figure it out.

I'll describe it, and it's characteristics, and show you pictures.
It grows about 10 or 12 ft high and about that wide. (huge) The leaves are different than a regular hibiscus. It has maroon colored flowers, and they are smaller than most hibiscus, about 3 inches wide, I would estimate. It starts blooming in Oct, here in FL, and it is covered with flowers

Here is one picture of the bush, and I will try to find a picture of the flowers.
Thanks, ~Lucy

This message was edited Mar 20, 2008 5:22 PM

Flowers

Another. The color is really a dark maroon. This picture shows it more red, but it is pretty dark in color.

Howdy.
What it is NOT is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, the addiction which plagues us on this list. It is a cold hardy Malvacea which should be a happy addition to your landscape for many years. I don't know this one's name.
luck,
Barry

I do believe what you have is called "Texas Star" hibiscus. The leaves are pretty much a dead giveaway. Although the blooms are usually slightly bigger here in texas. It is a hardy. There is also a white. The stories I have heard when they are not blooming and the bush is just present LOL.........
I could be wrong though. Here is a link that may help with your decision.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1872/

Robert



This message was edited Mar 17, 2008 7:24 AM

LOL, oh year, it is a Texas Star and those stories are hysterical. A neighbor's young adult son came by one day to borrow my kayak and when he saw that bush he almost choked and I heard him whisper to his dad "do you see what this lady is growing?????"

This hibiscus is not as cold hardy, as a regular hibiscus. My regular hibiscus were barely hurt during our 26-28 degree freeze. This hibiscus was killed to the ground, as soon as it hit freezing, actually it was showing signs of going down before it was freezing.

I was looking at the buds of the Swamp Hibiscus (Texas star) and they don't quite look the same. Does a Texas star have fine little hairs on the stems and buds that stick in your fingers, like little thorns? I had to wear gloves to remove the dead plant.

You can't just pluck a seed pod off, without using gloves. It will put hundreds of lil thorns in your fingers. lol I know. : )

I haven't heard any stories about the Texas star. Were they told on here?

~Lucy

Hi Lucy,

LOL all that I have seen do have thorns. This is what saves people from loosing the bush, from others thinking it is something else and wanting to well...... LOL Maybe a few stories have been told on here. I work a local market and have a corner lot right at the entrance, I have sold these on my corner lot. Well, Definitely an attention getter STOPS law enforcement as well as others dead in their tracks!!! They will die down but they usually come back. Not sure why yours did not???? At least the plants that I have dealt with do. Maybe others on the forum have different opinions. We are a very mild climate though.

Robert

This message was edited Mar 17, 2008 11:10 AM

Blue Glancer that is not a texas star. It may be a swamp mallow. I have Texas stars in my yard but dont have picture of the blooms. I don't know the policy on links so I will Dmail you a place to find a picture of a Texas Star.

Thanks Dobra,

Clears up the differences. Is your texas star hardy? Just out of curosity does it have thorns? All of the ones I have picked up from my supplier had. Now I am wondering if hey are true texas stars! Any info will help.
Thanks,
Robert

Hi Dobra,

I definitely have to change vendors on my commons! I had never thought twice about it until this post but the leaves are different on the texas star. So I guess I've been selling something similiar or not at all similiar? Thanks for jumping in on this. It's greatly appreciated! Saved me the embarrassment of misrepresentation and believing every tag you get. (wholesale growers or not)!

Robert

The reason I didn't think it was a Texas star is because they have a long stigma (I think that's what it is called). The stigma on mine, is alot shorter. It doesn't stick out much.

Thanks for the link, Dobra.

The reason I don't have it anymore is because I had put it right beside a gate, and by the time it was full grown, we couldn't get in the gate. lol After it got killed back, I noticed it had little babies under it, so I dug the old one up, and started a new one, ...somewhere else where it would have alot of room. : )

When the little ones get big, I will take a closer picture of the leaves, and stems. Then, maybe we can tell for sure. They are only 3 inches tall right now.
~Lucy

Hi Lucy, the plant in question is a Hibiscus acetosella.
Be carefull, they will reseed themselves very easily.

Dave

Dave, it diffenently looks like that one, but it never turned red-leafed, like that one. All green.

Hmmm...

Say hi to wifey for me. : ) Are you 2 coming to Molly's RU?
~Lucy

AH ha, with the exception of the red leaves, it does look like my acetosella did. They do die right back when the weather gets cool.

The joke about the Texas Star has to do with the shape of the leaves which strongly resemble those of the illegal type of "grass".

Oh,..... lol, I've heard that before. : )

Lucy, it comes in different colors, green, plum red and varigated pink ...

Wendee says Hi ! ~ No plans yet.

Dave

Oh, o.k., Dave. We will call it a Hibiscus acetosella. : ) I love that one in the picture above. : ) Hope you both do get to come to Molly's. If not, maybe I'll see you 2 in the fall. : )
~Lucy

Lucy that looks like what we called Roselle. It does come in the red form also. My mother made jelly from the seed pods. It is of the Hibiscus family I think.

Rene10, you are right,
this plant does resemble Roselle, so much so
that it is also known as False Roselle.(Hibiscus acetosella)
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2112/


Heres the link for Roselle.(Hibiscus sabdariffa)
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2113/

Dave

I marked it Solved ,at the top of the page. Thanks, Dave and Rene10. : )