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Hibiscus
Name - Commonly called rose mallow or rose of China, Hibiscus, pronounced
hib-ISK-us, is the Greek name for mallow.
Description - Two varieties
H. rosa-sinensis and H. schizopetalus (Japanese hibiscus) can be grown indoors.
They can grow to 1.5m (6ft) inside in the right conditions. The leaves are often
oval and tooth edged. The beautiful trumpet flowers do not last long but can produce
new ones throughout late spring and summer. The variety "Cooperii" has
white, pink and red variegated leaves and pink blossoms.
Family
- Malvaceae (mallow family)
Origin - China and the far East.
Colour - White, yellow, orange, pink or red.
Care Tips
- They need bright light with some sun, normal room temperatures and moderate
watering in the growth period, when they should be fed every week. Mist and feed
occasionally in the winter and water sparingly. Prune in early spring to around
15cm (6in) of the base and repot in fresh housplant compost. Hibiscus has to be
fed to flower.
Trivia - In Jamaica, where it grows in profusion,
it is know as shoe flower or shoe black because the juicy petals can be used to
polish shoes. In Hawaii young ladies place the flowers behind their ears or use
them to decorate their hair. A red hibiscus flower behind the left ear denotes
the desire to find a lover, behind the right means she has already found one!
History - Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was introduced to Europe by John Gerard
(1545-1612) in 1587. He compiled what was probably the first compendium of garden
plants.
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