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Hibiscus laevis (Halberdleaf rosemallow)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Hibiscus laevis All.

Halberdleaf rosemallow, Halberdleaf hibiscus, Scarlet rose mallow

Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

Synonyms: Hibiscus militaris

USDA Symbol: HILA2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

The halberd-leaved rose mallow grows to 6 feet tall with erect stems and leaves. The leaves are alternate and prominently lobed at the base, the lobes wide-spreading and sharp-toothed. Flowers bloom from the axils of the leaves, from the bottom to the top of the stem. The large cup-shaped blossoms, about 3 inches long, are pink, sometimes white, with maroon or purple throats. The 5 overlapping petals open by day and close tightly at night .

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Size Notes: 4-6 feet.
Leaf: Green
Fruit:
Size Class: 3-6 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DC , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Native Distribution: Moist low-lying areas from North Central Texas to the Edwards Plateau.
Native Habitat: Marshes
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Acid-based, Calcareous
Conditions Comments: The beautiful rose mallow attracts butterflies with its showy blossoms. This plant is related to okra; it has a gummy, slimy sap. Other members of the mallow family produce the sap that, when whipped with sugar, was the origin of our marshmallow candy. Scarlet rose mallow is good for wetland gardens and habitat.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Perennial garden, Bog or pond area, Showy, Blooms ornamental
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Nectar Source: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Seed Collection: Collect seed in summer, when pods open.
Maintenance: Grows quickly in warm weather.

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Toadshade Wildflower Farm - Frenchtown, NJ

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Hibiscus laevis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Hibiscus laevis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hibiscus laevis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2008-06-18
Research By: TWC Staff, LAL

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