Hibiscus

by Lawton, Barbara Perry

• ISBN13: 9780881926545
• ISBN10: 088192654X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-09-15
• Publisher: Timber Pr

Summary

Hibiscuses have entered an era of increasing popularity as garden designers and home gardeners rediscover the fine attributes of these wonderful plants. Here is the only book that covers the species and cultivars of the genus Hibiscus completely and in detail. Barbara Perry Lawton surveys both kinds of hibiscus: the tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate plants whose pure, clean colors are such grand assets to modern gardens and homes, as well as the hardy perennials and shrubs that thrive in spite of snow, ice, drought, flood, or poor soil, bearing bright flowers year after year. These classic flowers have a long and fascinating history. The book chronicles the history and traditions of their use in addition to those of Hibiscus relatives such as hollyhocks, okra, and cotton. With more than 200 species, there is great diversity in the genus Hibiscus. Barbara Perry Lawton introduces all gardeners, expert and novice alike, to the possibilities offered by these plants. A photographic gallery of hibiscuses illustrates the richness of the many species and cultivars from which the gardener may choose.

Author Biography

Barbara Perry Lawton served as editor and manager of publications at the Missouri Botanical Garden, president of the Garden Writers Association, and garden columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Table of Contents

Foreword	9	(2)
Allan M. Armitage
Preface	11	(6)
The Genus Hibiscus	17	(4)
Hibiscus in North America	21	(4)
Notable Hibiscus Cousins	25	(10)
History, Traditions, and Uses	35	(12)
Rose of Sharon	47	(10)
Hardy Hibiscuses	57	(12)
Tropical Hibiscuses	69	(12)
Cultural Problems, Diseases, and Pests	81	(8)
Propagation	89	(10)
Botany of Hibiscuses	99	(4)
A Gallery of Hibiscuses	103	(39)
U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone Map	142	(1)
Major Societies and Nurseries	143	(4)
Glossary	147	(4)
Further Reading	151	(4)
Index of Plant Names	155

Excerpts

Hardy hibiscuses will not thrive in tropical or subtropical climates such as those found in southern Florida. They require a cold season to flourish, much as apple trees do. Nevertheless, once established, these hibiscuses can endure weather and environmental extremes amazingly well. They thrive in full sun with moist, fertile soil that is of good texture, producing maximum numbers of flowers when provided with six or more hours of sun each day. They are adaptable, however, and can tolerate ordinary soil, dry conditions, and some shade once they have recovered from transplanting. Since many of these floriferous beauties descend from plants that grow in wetlands, they are tolerant of wet soils, although, like many bottomland natives, they are also tolerant of droughty conditions. Hardy hibiscuses are not particularly fussy with regard to pH, adjusting well to the usual garden soil, which will probably be anywhere from 6.5 to 7.5. Photoperiodism defines a plant''s physiological response to day or night length. Changes of season often determine such events as seed germination and flowering. Plants determine the time of year by means of the relative lengths of night and day. This can be especially important for plants that are native to areas that are far from the equal nights and days of equatorial regions. Some plants, such as poinsettias and chrysanthemums, are initiated into flowering by short days and long nights. Others, such as beans, corn, and cotton, are day-neutral plants, meaning they are unaffected by the photoperiod. Still others are triggered into flowering by long days and short nights. Hardy hibiscuses are considered to be long-day plants, but in actuality they are short-night plants. It has long been believed that their flowering is initiated by day lengths exceeding twelve hours. However, recent studies suggest that it is the comparatively short period of darkness that spurs the development of flowers. Knowing about the native environment of a plant and then trying to match those conditions at home is the key to success with any plant. Learn what kind of climate and soil it thrives in where it is indigenous. If you are growing plants bred from or descended from species that originated in marshy locations in the eastern United States, you can confidently assume that your plants will be a good choice for soggy, poorly draining locations. If, on the other hand, the plants derive from species native to the desert Southwest and Mexico, the last place you will want to plant them is in a site with poor drainage. Given a few simple environmental conditions, depending on the species or on the origin of the cultivar, hardy hibiscuses are easy to grow, and reward gardeners with both the large size of their blossoms and the profusion of bloom. Most hardy hibiscuses found in the marketplace are hybrids developed from species native to damp or even wet places in eastern North America, often in the same locations where cattails are found. These handsome ornamentals are hardy to Zone 5 or even Zone 4 but need to be treated as annuals in colder climes. Of course, one never knows what winter will bring in the interior of the United States. The continental climate, not to mention the mountain chains that run north-south, means thatnorthern winters may be as mild as those in Memphis or as severe as those in the Yukon Territory. Most winters are a combination of the two extremes. When people ask what the climate is like in St. Louis, where I live, I can truthfully tell them that it''s too hot, too cold, too wet, and too dry. Hardy hibiscuses are late to emerge in spring. In fact, I have known gardeners who pulled up their plants thinking that they had died over the winter. Be patient with these plants. They will begin to show some budding foliage well after most other plants are in full leaf. These perennials can become gangly, so it is wise to give them a thorough tip pruning once the new spring growth is 18 inches (45 cm) tall. If th