Hibiscus heightens the interest in home gardens

Here is a plant with a rather exotic, exciting name: Hibiscus. Fortunately, its visual appeal is just as exciting with gorgeously colored big blooms and lush foliage. Home gardeners in Iowa will find three hibiscus categories. The first, Hibiscus syriacus, is a shrub sometimes called Rose-of-Sharon. It ranges in height from five to 10 feet and features beautiful white, pink, blue or lavender flowers, often with dark red centers. Like all hibiscus, it is a sun-lover.

A second category of hibiscus is the tropical variety, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. This is typically used as a container plant. As the modifier ?tropical? suggests, this variety is not cold-hardy and must be brought indoors for the winter. As ?tropical? also suggests, it offers ?hot? colors, flowers of bright pink, orange, red or yellow, complemented by lush dark green leaves.

Finally, there is the Hardy Hibiscus, which can add lots of flair to the back of perennial borders. These plants, typically in the three to six foot range, die back to the ground in fall and then emerge late in the next spring.

The Hardy Hibiscus, alternatively called Rose Mallow, features spectacular, dinner-plate size blooms. Colors range from red through the pinks and purples to white, usually with contrasting eyes. Unlike the shrub variety, Hardy Hibiscus will tolerate moist soil. At the same time, many varieties will tolerate drought once they are well-established. Cultivars vary a good deal in leaf color and size along with flower color and size as well as height, so some research will be in order before purchasing plants.

I had to restrain myself from audibly oohing and aahing as I scrolled through pictures of cultivars recommended by a horticulturist at ISU. There?s ?Angelique,? white with a red eye and green foliage. There?s ?Copper Queen,? pale pink with red veining, a red eye and dark purple leaves. ?Fantasia? offers rosy pink blooms, a dark red eye and green leaves. ?Fireball? provides dark red flowers and finely-textured green foliage. ?Midnight Marvel? pairs dark red flowers and dark purple leaves. ?Perfect Storm? is pink with a red eye and dark purple foliage. ?Peppermint Flare? offers up the contrasts of white blooms with red streaks and a red eye against green leaves.

I could go on, but you get the idea. Certainly, these are plants to grow and to admire.