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Hibiscus schizopetalus

Japanese hibiscus

An erect evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub, to 3-4m, with slender arching to drooping branches. Leaves are simple, ovate-elliptic, to 12cm long. Flowers are pendulous on long thin stalks, bright orange-red with deeply-cut, reflexed petals and the staminal tube strikingly projecting

Other common names

Japanese lantern

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1B

Botanical details

Family: Malvaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Hibiscus can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs, trees, annuals or perennials, with simple or palmately lobed leaves and large, funnel-shaped flowers over a long flowering season
Name status: Correct
Plant range: E Tropical Africa

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered position in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings or semi-ripe cuttings or greenwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Sub-tropical

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, scale insects, mealybugs and glasshouse whitefly when grown under glass

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and powdery mildews

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