Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are renowned for their large, showy flowers and those species are commonly known simply as "hibiscus", or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees.
Several species are widely cultivated as ornamental plants, notably Hibiscus syriacus and Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis.
Etymology
The generic name is derived from the Greek name ἱβίσκος which Greek botanist Pedanius Dioscorides gave to a plant now scientifically labelled as Althaea officinalis.Description
The leaves are alternate, ovate to lanceolate, often with a toothed or lobed margin. The flowers are large and conspicuous. They are trumpet-shaped, with five or more petals, colour from white to pink, red, blue, orange, peach, yellow or purple, and from 4–18 cm broad.Flower colour in certain species, such as H. mutabilis and H. tiliaceus, changes with age. The fruit is a dry five-lobed capsule, containing several seeds in each lobe, which are released when the capsule dehisces at maturity. It is of red and white colours. It is an example of complete flowers.
Species
The yellow hibiscus is the state flower of Hawaii, although the most commonly seen hibiscus in the state is Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis.In temperate zones, probably the most commonly grown ornamental species is Hibiscus syriacus, the common garden hibiscus, also known in some areas as the "rose of Althea" or "rose of Sharon". In tropical and subtropical areas, the Chinese hibiscus, with its many showy hybrids, is the most popular hibiscus.
Several hundred species are known, including:
- Hibiscus acapulcensis Fryxell
- Hibiscus acetosella Welw. ex Hiern. – false roselle
- Hibiscus aculeatus — comfortroot
- Hibiscus aethiopicus L.
- Hibiscus aponeurus
- Hibiscus × archeri — red hibiscus
- Hibiscus arnottianus A.Gray — koki'o Ke'oke'o
- Hibiscus bifurcatus — fork-bracted rosemallow
- Hibiscus biseptus — Arizona rosemallow
- Hibiscus boryanus — foulsapate marron
- Hibiscus brackenridgei A.Gray — Hawaiian hibiscus ma'o hau hele
- Hibiscus calyphyllus — lemonyellow rosemallow
- Hibiscus cameronii — Cameron's hibiscus, pink hibiscus
- Hibiscus cannabinus L. — Kenaf
- Hibiscus cisplatinus
- Hibiscus clayi O.Deg. & I.Deg.— Hawaiian red hibiscus
- Hibiscus coccineus Walter — scarlet rosemallow
- Hibiscus columnaris — mahot rempart
- Hibiscus cooperi J.J. Veitch — one of the parent species of Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis
- Hibiscus coulteri — desert rosemallow
- Hibiscus dasycalyx — Neches River rosemallow
- Hibiscus denudatus Benth.—pale face
- Hibiscus dioscorides
- Hibiscus diriffan A.G.Mill.
- Hibiscus diversifolius— swamp hibiscus
- Hibiscus elatus – mahoe
- Hibiscus engleri – wild hibiscus
- Hibiscus erlangeri
- Hibiscus escobariae
- Hibiscus fragilis DC.—mandrinette
- Hibiscus furcellatus Desr.—lindenleaf rosemallow
- Hibiscus genevei Bojer
- Hibiscus grandiflorus Michx. — swamp rosemallow
- Hibiscus grewiifolius
- Hibiscus hamabo
- Hibiscus hastatus
- Hibiscus heterophyllus — native rosella
- Hibiscus hirtus — lesser mallow
- Hibiscus hispidissimus
- Hibiscus hybridus
- Hibiscus insularis Endl. — Phillip Island hibiscus
- Hibiscus kaute L.A.J. Thompson & Butaud — one of the parent species of Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis
- Hibiscus kokio—red rosemallow
- Hibiscus laevis All. — halberd-leaved rosemallow
- Hibiscus lasiocarpos — woolly rosemallow
- Hibiscus leptocladus
- Hibiscus lilacinus — lilac hibiscus
- Hibiscus liliiflorus — Rodrigues tree hibiscus
- Hibiscus lunariifolius
- Hibiscus macilwraithensis
- Hibiscus macrophyllus — largeleaf rosemallow
- Hibiscus macropodus
- Hibiscus makinoi — Okinawan hibiscus
- Hibiscus malacophyllus Balf.f.
- Hibiscus martianus— heartleaf rosemallow
- Hibiscus mesnyi Pierre ex Laness.
- Hibiscus moscheutos L. — crimsoneyed rosemallow
- Hibiscus mutabilis L. — cotton rosemallow, Confederate rose
- Hibiscus paramutabilis
- Hibiscus phoeniceus — Brazilian rosemallow
- Hibiscus platanifolius
- Hibiscus pusillus Thunb. - bladderweed
- Hibiscus quattenensis
- Hibiscus poeppigii — Poeppig's rosemallow
- Hibiscus radiatus — monarch rosemallow
- Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis L. — Chinese hibiscus, a pre-colonial Polynesian hybrid of Hibiscus kaute and Hibiscus cooperi
- Hibiscus sabdariffa L. — roselle, omutete, or sorrel
- Hibiscus schizopetalus — fringed rosemallow
- Hibiscus scottii
- Hibiscus socotranus
- Hibiscus sinosyriacus
- Hibiscus splendens
- Hibiscus stenanthus Balf.f.
- Hibiscus striatus — striped rosemallow
- Hibiscus sturtii
- Hibiscus syriacus L. — rose of Sharon
- Hibiscus taiwanensis S.Y. Hu
- Hibiscus tiliaceus L. — sea hibiscus
- Hibiscus tozerensis
- Hibiscus trilobus—threelobe rosemallow
- Hibiscus trionum L. — flower-of-an-hour
- Hibiscus vitifolius — tropical rose mallow
- Hibiscus waimeae A.Heller — ''koki'o ke'oke'o''
Formerly placed in the genus
- Abelmoschus esculentus Moench
- Abelmoschus ficulneus Wight & Arn.
- Abelmoschus manihot subsp. manihot
- Abelmoschus manihot var. pungens Hochr.
- Abelmoschus manihot var. tetraphyllus Borss. Waalk.
- Abelmoschus moschatus subsp. moschatus
- Abelmoschus moschatus subsp. tuberosus Borss. Waalk.
- Alyogyne cuneiformis Lewton
- Alyogyne hakeifolia Alef.
- Alyogyne huegelii Fryxell
- Alyogyne pinoniana Fryxell
- Astrohibiscus caesius — dark-eyed hibiscus
- Blanchardia clypeata — Congo mahoe
- Firmiana simplex W.Wight
- Lagunaria patersonia subsp. patersonia
- Kosteletzkya adoensis Mast.
- Kosteletzkya pentacarpos Ledeb.
- Kosteletzkya tubiflora Blanch. & McVaugh
- Kosteletzkya virginica C.Presl ex A.Gray
- Pavonia arabica Hochst. & Steud. ex Boiss.
- Pavonia spinifex Cav.
- Radyera farragei Fryxell & S.H.Hashmi
- Thespesia lampas Dalzell
- Thespesia populnea Sol. ex Corrêa
Uses
Landscaping
Many species are grown for their showy flowers or used as landscape shrubs, and are used to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.Hibiscus is a very hardy, versatile plant and in tropical conditions it can enhance the beauty of any garden. Being versatile it adapts itself easily to balcony gardens in crammed urban spaces and can be easily grown in pots as a creeper or even in hanging pots. It is a perennial and flowers throughout the year. As it comes in a variety of colors, it's a plant which can add vibrancy to any garden.
The only infestation that gardeners need to be vigilant about is mealybugs. Mealybug infestations are easy to spot as they are clearly visible as a distinct white cottony infestation on buds, leaves or even stems.
Paper
One species of Hibiscus, known as kenaf, is extensively used in paper-making.Rope and construction
The inner bark of the sea hibiscus, also called 'hau', is used in Polynesia for making rope, and the wood for making canoe floats. The ropes on the missionary ship Messenger of Peace were made of fibres from hibiscus trees.Beverage
The tea made of the calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa is known by many names in many countries around the world and is served both hot and cold. The beverage is well known for its red colour, tartness and unique flavour. Additionally, it is highly nutritious because of its vitamin C content.It is known as bissap in West Africa, "Gul e Khatmi" in Urdu & Persian, agua de jamaica in Mexico and Central America and Orhul in India. Some refer to it as roselle, a common name for the hibiscus flower. In Jamaica, Trinidad and many other islands in the Caribbean, the drink is known as sorrel. In Ghana, the drink is known as sobolo.
In Egypt and Sudan, hibiscus tea is known as karkadé, and is served as both a hot and a cold drink.
Food
Dried hibiscus is edible, and it is often a delicacy in Mexico. It can also be candied and used as a garnish, usually for desserts. Contrary to popular assumptions that the flowers or petals are what is being eaten, it is the calyces.The roselle is used as a vegetable. The species Hibiscus suratensis Linn synonymous with Hibiscus aculeatus G. Don is noted in Visayas in the Philippines as being a souring ingredient for almost all local vegetables and menus. Known as labog in the Visayan area, the species is an ingredient in cooking native chicken soup.
Hibiscus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some lepidopteran species, including Chionodes hibiscella, Hypercompe hambletoni, the nutmeg moth, and the turnip moth.