Scarlet Rosemallow
Did you know?
Scarlet Rosemallows (Hibiscus coccineus) are named for their deep red flowers. 'Hibiscus' is the ancient Greek word for 'marsh mallow' - as in a mallow plant that grows in marshes. The original recipe for the edible, sweet marshmallows that we know today contained root extract from mallow plants.
Size
Up to 6 feet tall
Flowers, Fruit, Foliage
Large, showy red flowers bloom from mid-summer to early autumn and attract hummingbirds. Mature fruits are edible, dry, brown, 5-chambered seed capsules. Palmately compound leaflets with serrated margins grow to be up to 6 inches long.
Pests & Diseases
Blight, cankers, rust, leaf spots, aphids, scale, whiteflies, Japanese beetles, deer
Landscape Use
Excellent for butterfly or rain gardens, as well as accents or borders in home landscapes
Care Practices
Plant in moist soil in an area with full sun to part shade, and keep protected from winter weather. These perennials tolerate high temperatures, salinity, and a variety of soil types, but they do not perform well in cold climates.
Native Range
Marshes and swamps from Virginia to Florida