North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Hibiscus coccineus

Hibiscus coccineus Walter

scarlet rose-mallow, scarlet hibiscus, scarlet rosemallow

Synonym(s): Hibiscus semilobatus
Cultivar(s): Alba

Hibiscus coccineus (Scarlet Rose-mallow)

Image ID: 7943
Image by: Parkins, Grant Morrow
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: HICO2
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hibiscus coccineus
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-02-05

CULTIVAR INDEX

Cult_id	Cultivar_name	Action
164	Alba	View

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: HIBIS2
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Hibiscus
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Rosemallow
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 200-300 species, trees, shrubs, and herbs, of tropical to warm temperate areas.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Blanchard in FNA (2015); Blanchard (2008)=Z; Wise & Menzel (1971); Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: MALVAC
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Malvaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Mallow Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 243 genera and 4000-4500 species, herbs, shrubs, and trees, of cosmopolitan distribution, but especially diverse in the tropics and subtropics. Malvaceae has always been difficult to circumscribe cleanly, relative to members of such families as Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. Molecular evidence now adds to morphologic evidence that traditional circumscriptions of these families are highly polyphyletic. Bayer et al. (1999) present a classification of an expanded Malvaceae, with 9 subfamilies recognized. This family includes several economically important species, including cotton (Gossypium spp.), cacao or chocolate (Theobroma cacao Linnaeus), and cola (Cola acuminata R. Brown).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Bayer et al. (1999); Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003); Fryxell (1988). [including STERCULIACEAE and TILIACEAE]

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Large, upright perennial from semi-woody root crown, found in marshes, swamp forests, roadside swales.
STEMS: Stems may be branched in upper portion, smooth.
LEAVES: Leaves alternate, petiolate, round but palmately divided into 3-7 narrow segments that are shallowly toothed to entire and smooth.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers solitary on stalks arising from upper leaf axils; deep red; 6 in. wide; widely funnel-shaped; consisting of 5 slightly creased, spreading, spoon-shaped petals and a central column of red stamens and style, all surrounded by 5 shorter, long-pointed sepals.
FRUITS: Fruit an oval, 5-sectioned capsule with blunt tip and bumpy surface.
COMMENTS: Cultivated as an ornamental; in much of our area presumably introduced from farther south, but sometimes appearing native.
HEIGHT: 4-7 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Radial (Actinomorphic)
BLOOM TIME: July-September

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
				x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Red, white

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x	x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Bogs/pocosins, Disturbed
NATIVE RANGE: GA, FL & AL

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Elegant scarlet flowers are very attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Scarlet rose-mallow adds a lush, tropical look to North Carolina landscapes. However, this vigorous and sturdy southeastern native perennial is perfectly hardy here. Grow scarlet rose-mallow as a focal point in the garden. This showy herbaceous perennial grows more shrublike and produces more flowers as it matures. Try growing this plant in your perennial border or at the edge of a pond. The Hibiscus genus supports up to 18 lepidoptera species.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes: William Bartram, son of the famous plant recorder John Bartram, recorded observations of this stately plant in 1773 in Florida where he was struck by its beauty and commanding presence. This plant is a native of the southeastern U. S., where it grows 10-12 feet tall and blooms from late July through September. The palmately divided leaves of this 4-7 ft. rose-mallow are palmately cut and shiny. It grows well in a sunny area where it receives full sun and plenty of moisture. In it’s natural habitiat it is found in Swamp, marshes & ditches of the coastal plain. Certainly this is one our more fabulous, even exotic looking native plants.

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 6
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE: 3
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly, Hummingbird Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
210	2011-0023	2011-01-27	209	View
2726	1987-0208			View
3345	1990-0216			View
6671	1996-0322			View

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
209	HORT		Gocke	View
1255	HORT	2005-10-27	Bryan	View
1318	HORT	2006-10-03	Bryan	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
425	210	44	NCBG staff	2011-05-10	View
4541	2726	8	NCBG staff	1979-05-20	View
4542	2726	8	NCBG staff	1979-05-20	View
4543	2726	61	NCBG staff	1979-05-20	View
5570	3345	27	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
9431	6671	142	Liloia	1967-12-31	View
13161	0	198	NCBG staff	2022-05-20	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: HICO2
USDA Common Name: Scarlet Rosemallow
Native Status: L48 (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, VA)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	OBL				OBL

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hibiscus coccineus
COMMON NAME: Scarlet Hibiscus
SYNONYMY: [= FNA, GW, K, S, Va, WH3]
PHENOLOGY:
HABITAT: Marshes, swamp forests, roadside swales, cultivated as an ornamental in yards, in much of our area presumably introduced from farther south, but sometimes appearing native.
COMMENTS: S. GA and s. AL south to s. FL.
RANGE MAP: Hibiscus coccineus.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Malvaceae A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Mallow Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 243 genera and 4000-4500 species, herbs, shrubs, and trees, of cosmopolitan distribution, but especially diverse in the tropics and subtropics. Malvaceae has always been difficult to circumscribe cleanly, relative to members of such families as Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. Molecular evidence now adds to morphologic evidence that traditional circumscriptions of these families are highly polyphyletic. Bayer et al. (1999) present a classification of an expanded Malvaceae, with 9 subfamilies recognized. This family includes several economically important species, including cotton (Gossypium spp.), cacao or chocolate (Theobroma cacao Linnaeus), and cola (Cola acuminata R. Brown).
REFERENCE: Bayer et al. (1999); Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003); Fryxell (1988). [including STERCULIACEAE and TILIACEAE]

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Hibiscus L. (Rosemallow)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 200-300 species, trees, shrubs, and herbs, of tropical to warm temperate areas.
REFERENCE: Blanchard in FNA (2015); Blanchard (2008)=Z; Wise & Menzel (1971); Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Hibiscus coccineus in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Hibiscus coccineus in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

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

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 7943 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 7943 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 7943 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)