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Spider hibiscus

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Spider hibiscus

  • ​Common Name: Spider hibiscus
  • Scientific Name: Hibiscus schizopetalus
  • Family Name: Malvaceae
  • Origin: Tropical Africa
  • Height:  6 to 8 ft
  • Width:  5 to 6 ft
  • Growth: Fast
  • Zone: USDA Zones 10 through 11
  • Light needs: Full sun
  • Salt tolerance: Low
  • Soil/pH/Texture: Best grown in grown in rich, moist, well-drained soil with a circumneutral pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
  • Moisture: Soil should be kept moist, and the plant should be watered abundantly when young. It is humidity tolerant.
  • Drought tolerance: Low
  • Pests/Diseases: Aphids and mealybugs.
  • Growing conditions: This plant should be grown in a warm, sunny area. It is not drought tolerant, so it either needs to be planted in an area with plenty of rainfall, or it will need to be watered regularly. It is a fast grower, often growing several feet in one growing season, so it needs plenty of room. It is very sensitive to cold and should be either grown or moved indoors if temperatures drop below 40°F. It should be pruned as little as possible, as flowers grow from the previous year’s growth.
  • Characteristics: This large, leggy shrub has several clumped, woody stems at the base which branch off into numerous smaller stems further up the plant. The leaves are light green, grow alternately, and have toothed margins. The flowers dangle from thin, drooping stems, and have a very striking appearance; The five bright red petals are deeply fringed and frilly, curving back upwards to give the whole flower a sphere-like shape. The long staminal column, also bright red, hangs downward from the center of the flower. The fruit is an oblong castle which contains several seeds.
  • Propagation: By cuttings.
  • Wildlife: Pollinator insects visit the flowers occasionally.
  • Facts: This plant received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
  • Designer considerations: It is commonly used as a specimen planting because of its unique flowers, as well as a large hedge for walkways and other borders. It can also be grown indoors as a houseplant but may not produce many flowers due to the pruning this requires.