Scarlet Hibiscus

Muenchhusia coccinea
AKA: Hibiscus coccineus, Hibiscus semilobatus

Size: 1 & 3 Gallon availability

Shrub
Max size: 8 tall x 3’ wide
Average size: 6′ tall x 3′ wide

Aquatic, Very Moist, Usually Moist
Loam, Muck, Sand, Clay
Sun, Part Shade
Low-no tolerance to salt

AKA: Red Hibiscus, Scarlet Rose Mallow, Texas Hibiscus

This perennial shrub blooms showy, red flowers spring through summer. Flowers appear on new growth and not old, so in the spring you can prune it to maximize blooms. This should not be done before early spring however, because bees use the dead stems to nest. It is used as a specimen plant for its large, prolific flowers. Goes dormant in winter but typically returns from the base in spring. They’re an excellent addition to rain gardens, low spots, under rain gutters, or near sources of water like ponds or streams.

The shape and color of the flowers make them attractive to hummingbirds. They are also a larval host of the Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady Butterfly, Common Checkered Skipper, and Tropical Checkered Skipper butterflies; they also host four moths: Pearly Wood Nymph, Yellow Scallop, Io Moth, and Delightful Bird-Dropping. They attract many native bees, beetles, and butterflies, as well as the speciality Rose-mallow Bee. When it comes to stem-nesting native bees, gardeners are encouraged to cut back dead stems to 12-24 inches and allow them to remain standing until they disintegrate on their own.

Additional sources: FNPS, Florida Wildflower Foundation (1) (2), Atlas of Florida Plants