A few hibiscus

Susan Schlueter is currently my favorite bloom here, but it has been a shy bloomer, and tends to produce floppy blooms for me in the dry heat that we have all summer.

Veronika Todd has produced some wonderful blooms, with much more pronounced colors and patterning in light shade. While it has produced a tremendous number of buds, most of them abort (from heat, it appears) before they open, and they often spend a day half-open before opening completely the following day. I'm hoping to get a nice display as the weather cools off.

Chivalry always starts out promising, with a vibrant red color and clean silvery edges curled around from the back.

But then it folds around back as soon as it opens (again, probably from the heat).

Finally, it flattens out the next day, but with ragged edges. This pattern has held throughout the summer, even when kept in the shade, and I have yet to see it flat without the dead edges. This is the only one I've kept which has had this problem, so I'm rather disappointed. I'll be watching it this fall as well to see if it can redeem itself.

I have several common varieties which have really pulled their weight this summer. I've definitely come to appreciate the constant blooms which last multiple days and always look good, even if they're not quite as big or spectacular as the special varieties.

This one is Sensation (with a bit of backlighting). It hasn't been without blooms since I picked it up from Lowe's for $6 several months ago.

California Gold is satisfying my need for plain yellows right now, though I plan to pick up some others soon. The pink highlights are nice, too.

I've had Kona for a couple years--I think I received it in a plant trade here on DG (thank you, somebody!). It roots readily and grows vigorously, so I've used it for grafting stock and generally have it all over. I love showing off small plants with their huge double blossoms--it never fails to attract attention.

This one lives in my office at work, and despite being indoors it blooms with great abandon--six blossoms open today.

beautiful - blooms and love your Kona - looks like it receives lots of TLC from you!

Susan Schlueter is my favorite, too! And I've noticed that her limbs aren't always strong enough to support her blooms. Maybe when she gets older?

They are all beautiful. I really like Veronika Todd.

All are very pretty. I do have to agree on the Susan Schlueter. Mine gets rather floppy at times. Also the Veronica Todd will usually get more intense and darker in color when she blooms in cooler weather. Thanks for sharing!

Robert

Beautiful pictures!!!! I really love your Susan Schleuter :-)

I, too, really like the Susan Schleuter! I just ordered one similar, 'Royal Court' from here: http://exotichibiscus.com/catalog_process.cfm?cid=15#406
I hope it grows to be that gorgeous also.

Pam

Royal Court looks like it would be pretty.

Thanks for the input and compliments, everyone. I've been playing around with different ways to take pictures of hibiscus blooms, and they are always rewarding subjects.

Veronika Todd is so beautiful.
Thanks for sharing.

Courbet

I agree regarding Hibiscus Royal Court. It's usually a huge upright bloom and usually stays open for several days. I attached a photo of one of my Royal Court blooms.

Oh my goodness! That is a beautiful bloom. I can't wait until I get mine. And to stay open for several days, well that is just 'frosting on the cake'.

It is a good one Pamela. It's usually a two day bloom. Nice photo of Veronika Todd tropicalaria. I can relate to your comments about Veronika Todd. The bloom does take its time opening up for me also but does stay open at least 2 days. Not sure if its just my plant but many of my blooms on Veronkia Todd face semi downward.

Thank you for posting those gorgeous pictures, they are sending me on a shopping mission for sure.

Veronika Todd mostly has opened upward for me, as in the picture. No idea what the difference is or if it's just coincidence.

I went to add Royal Court to my wishlist (based entirely on the picture above ^_^) and discovered it was already there...

Glad to hear your Veronika Todd blooms open upward for you tropicalaria. Perhaps I need to reshape/prune my plant and see if that helps. Here's a photo of one of my Veronika Todd blooms that held up better.

Oh my what a picture that is.

Thanks Fla Chick. Today was kind of quiet with blooms. Here's one taken late in the day (Hibiscus Night Runner)

You guys are just killin me...my shopping list is now insanely long, thanks to all you enablers. Im ripping out a bunch of rose bushes (dont think that isnt fun) so I have so much room to put hibiscus. I just can't wait.

Oh well...I know what you mean about finding space for things. Funny you mentioned pulling out roses. I did that exact thing yesterday to create some new space for plants that prefer Florida winters over Florida summers.

Here's Susan Schlueter again on its second full day of being open. It's really a spectacular bloom.

Sometimes it's hard to explain to people the difference in the blooms between the common varieties and these recent hybrids. This isn't a very good picture, but it sums it up pretty well.

holy moses........you dont know what you are doing to this OCD person. First it was daylilies, then it was roses, then it was chickens, now its hibiscus......its a good thing Ive got 10 acres.

And, apparently, this is the energizer bunny of hibiscus blooms. The picture below was taken tonight, of the same bloom that I showed above. It's starting to wear out, but this is the end of day 5...

Day 5!!! Holy moses. Nice