Focus on Flowers
Our Midwest native Hibiscus moscheutos is an herbaceous plant that has flowers that look so exotic that it seems tropical, but it is hardy zones 5-9.
The common name is swamp mallow that gives a hint that it prefers moist soil. However, it loves our Midwest gardens, and tolerates dry soil. I want lots of flowers, so I often give it lots of water during dry weather, but it really is not hard to grow and flowers profusely in my zone 6 garden.
When happy, it grows 4-7 ft tall and 3-4 ft wide in full sun and produces large red, pink, and white blossoms in July through September. It attracts pollinators such as our native long-tongued bees, and hummingbirds love the blooms. It also hosts the caterpillars of painted lady and gray hairstreak butterflies as well as the common checkered skippers.
Pick off any Japanese beetles that you see on these plants and throw them onto a jar of soapy water.
Place these large plants at the back of your border. Mine, though, have self-seeded along the front edge of my driveway, and I like it there too, which proves that it looks good anywhere really when it is in full bloom!
Since there are many varieties of hibiscus and some are not perennial, be sure to ask for this variety by name, pronounced moss KEW Toss with the common name SWAMP MALLOW. It grows well from seed.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on Hibiscus moscheutos.
