HIBISCUS rosa-sinensis

Wonderful shrub or small tree, deciduous and native to East Asia. It can reach a maximum height of 5 meters. Thanks to its great ornamental value, it’s been present in the Italian gardens for many years. It's strongly branched from the base and it has ovate and deciduous leaves, deep bright green. From late spring to late autumn, there is a great blooming. Its flowers are big, in different colors and with a pistil covered with stamens.

It needs a sunny or a semi shaded position and the soil must be poor, fertile, wet and well drained. It doesn't tolerate prolonged summer droughts and it benefits from regular summer irrigations which improve the plant aspect and blooming. During the period of growth, fertilizations must be regular too. At the beginning of spring, a light pruning stimulates the emission of young branches. It is ideal as a single specimen. It is also perfect in big containers which let this plant be grown even in areas subject to intense and prolonged frosts, as long as in this case containers will be brought in sheltered places.