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ryseryse_2004

Beautiful oak leaved hibiscus

ryseryse_2004
10 years ago

I don't hear much about this perennial hibiscus and don't know what it is called but it gets about 8' tall and has flowers that are smaller than the others with the wide leaves.

It has just started blooming and is covered with red flowers. It seems no storm can knock it down. This is the third year it has been in the ground (started from seed) and has really grown into a beautiful garden centerpiece. I will save seeds from this.

Does anyone have a name for this?

Comments (31)

  • jadeite
    10 years ago

    Do you mean hydrangea quercifolia which translates to oak-leaf hydrangea? I grew several of these in Massachusetts, but all were white flowered and not red.

    These are one of my favorite shrubs, they were trouble free and maintenance free apart from some light pruning in the spring. They produced huge flowers completely covering the foliage. I cut these for the house often because they lasted a good long time.

    When the flowers were done, the foliage continued to look fresh and full until fall when it aged slowly to deep burgundy. I had these in an east-facing location which was partly shaded by big trees. I'm sorry that I can't grow them here in the Southwest where it's too hot and dry. Enjoy!

    Cheryl

  • gyr_falcon
    10 years ago

    I wonder if it is one of the red-flowering Abelmoschus. Many Abelmoschus used to carry the hibiscus name, and some are still sold with dual names on the tag/seed package.

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No, it isn't a hydrangea. I was told it was a form of hibiscus when I got the seeds through a trade. The flower looks just like the perennial hibiscus but smaller. (4" instead of 8")

    The leaves are oak-shaped. It is a tall very airy plant.

  • mxk3 z5b_MI
    10 years ago

    Sounds like a Rose of Sharon bush (Hibiscus syriacus).

  • GreatPlains1
    10 years ago

    What is the shape of the leaves on it?

  • gardenweed_z6a
    10 years ago

    Yep--I'd guess you've got rose of Sharon blooming. They're more in the shrub family than perennials. I've nearly a dozen of them and they're blooming right now. Blooms don't last long but there are so many of them the shrubs put on quite a show.

    They're incredibly easy to grow from seed--just let the seed pods ripen, harvest the seeds & grow them via winter sowing or else let them reseed.

  • GreatPlains1
    10 years ago

    Um.....maybe. I've never seen a true red Rose of Sharon. Very deep pink but not red. It could be a hardy hibiscus. Those bloom heavily this time of year and some get that tall except I am not sure if they do in that zone. The shape of the leaf would help. There are some very cold hardy types.

  • Marie Tulin
    10 years ago

    can you take a pix with your cell phone?

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I will try to post a picture -- have never done that before. It is not a Rose of Sharon. I have many of those that I have grown from seed.

    These leaves are very skinny oak-shaped and large unlike the wide Rose of Sharon leaves.

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    10 years ago

    I just looked up pictures of the Abelmoschus that Gyr Falcon suggested. I'd bet that's it.... I've never seen 'oak-like' leaves on a hardy hibiscus; maple-like, yes but not oak. But the leaves in some of the pictures of Abelmoschus looked oak-like. Interesting-looking plant; I'll have to do some checking on it..... Gyr Falcon - what are the pros and cons of it from your experience?

  • christinmk z5b eastern WA
    10 years ago

    It wouldn't perchance be one of the hollyhocks with very dissected foliage would it? Like Alcea ficifolia? Hollyhocks always remind me a bit of hibiscus...
    CMK

    Here is a link that might be useful: A. ficifolia- fig leafed hollyhock

  • gyr_falcon
    10 years ago

    woodyoak,
    The only Abelmochius I have first-hand experience with is A. Manihot. It had beautiful large, pale yellow flowers with a deep burgundy/maroon eye. Striking bloom. Super easy from seed, and stem and root cuttings too, I believe. Fast growing, but frost tender. The plant itself gets large (5-6' tall, 3' wide) and a little bit weedy-looking. Weedy may not be the right term; I mean, to my eye, it is less garden refined and looks semi-wild, like Malva, hollyhocks, and castor beans do. Still, I miss the flowers and am tempted often to grow one again, even though there is no room here for it.

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Not Abelmoschus. Not yellow and not an annual. This is a vivid red.

  • GreatPlains1
    10 years ago

    Could it be some kind of Hibiscus moscheutos? Some of them have bright red flowers. I sowed one from seed this year and its blooming heavily with bright red flowers. The leaves are heart shaped though and you posted "oak leaf". The halberd-leaf don't bloom red, at least not that I know of. I am no expert on hibiscus. One thing I did find out was some kind of weevel eats the seeds and out of a handful, I only got one good seed, the rest were hollow so if you save some, you might check them out.

  • gyr_falcon
    10 years ago

    Sorry if there was confusion. My post noting the yellow flower was answering woodoak's question.

    I think a photo would be most useful for an accurate id. Would you be able to post one?

  • gyr_falcon
    10 years ago

    There are hardy hybrid hibiscus, such as Hibiscus x 'Lord Baltimore'. That one has maple-like leaves, to my eye. But do you think it may be another, similar hybrid?

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    here is one pic

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    here is the leaf (leaves)

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    pic # 3

  • christinmk z5b eastern WA
    10 years ago

    Hibiscus sabdariffa?
    CMK

  • GreatPlains1
    10 years ago

    Hibiscus coccinea?

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hibiscus Coccinea !!! That's it Great Plains 1. Now that we know what it is, does anyone else grow it and why not? It looks like a beautifully shaped airy bush and is a beautiful tall focal point of the garden in the fall. I will definitely save seeds to share.

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    10 years ago

    Interesting-looking plant - likely not hardy here. What do oaks look like where your are?! I would not describe those leaves as 'oak-like' :-)

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, I'm zone 5a so maybe it is hardy there. Also, it does look sort of like a pin oak leaf ----- well, sort of but not much I guess.

  • GreatPlains1
    10 years ago

    It sounded like a halberd leaf type so I started searching from there and ran across this pretty quickly. I think its gorgeous and I love the leaves and form. There are some really tough Texas types and I am trying one this year I grew from my one good seed I got that wasn't "weevelized".

    I need to move mine when its dormant next spring, its close to the drip pipe from the air conditioner system and thats making the flowers turn black before opening. At least I think thats the problem, soil too wet. I don't see any thrips on it. Otherwise the plant looks great. Its so frustrating because its loaded with buds and the flowers are big and red before they turn into raisins right before fully opening.

    I can see comparing it to oak leaves, like a skinny oak leaf, the pointy kinds of oak leaves on certain varieties. Thats a closer fit than maple-like.

    This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 11, 13 at 15:42

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Do you know if it comes in a color other than red? I especially like it because it blooms long after the Japanese Beetles do their damage. (They completely skeletinized my other hibiscus and Rose of Sharon this year!)

  • GreatPlains1
    10 years ago

    I don't know. Coccinea means red. Its used as a pigment for painting. Its the deep red also used in dying yarn for Navajo blankets and weaving, its extracted from cochineal beetles.

    edit, I think I am wrong on this. I started wondering and googled coccinea. I had always thought these were connected but I was wrong. Every plant I have run into with coccinea in the name seems to be red and I thought these were connected. I have seen a red pigment with that name. Sorry. Confusing stuff.

    This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 11, 13 at 16:34

  • sunny_blooms
    9 years ago

    I have an Oak Leaved Hibiscus aka Hardy Hibiscus, and it is, indeed, beautiful. They come in several different colors: VERY, very dark pink (closer to red), nice medium pink, white, and there may be more. The one I have, Kopper King, is pale pink on the outer parts of the petals darkening to dark pink centers and white pistol. The blooms are a minimum of 8-9" across. The leaves are oak leaf shaped, some say maple leafed, and are reddish green. I've never posted a photo before so I hope this works...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Additional photos of Hardy Hibiscus.

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The picture I posted last year is dwarfed by this years 'bush'. It is just huge and it must be 10' tall. It is full of buds and it just now starting to bloom. I will try to post a picture when it is in full bloom (if I can keep the Japanese beetles off the buds.)

    BTW, I saved seed last year from it and none of them germinated. That surprises me because both the perennial hibiscus and Rose of Sharon are so easy to start from seed. I am wondering if because it is so late in blooming that the seeds don't have time to mature. Anybody know? I will be moving in the spring and definitely want to take some of this one with me.

  • arbo_retum
    9 years ago

    ryse, this is a perfect example of how helpful it would be to include your general or specific location- in your moniker. Z.5 can vary greatly depending where it is. just a suggestion. Neat plant!

  • ryseryse_2004
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Northwest IL --- 30 miles east of the Mississippi.