Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis

Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis

Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis is commonly called Chinese hibiscus, China rose, Hawaiian hibiscus, rose mallow, or shoeblack plant. It is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the Hibiscus genus and the Hibisceae tribe of the Malvaceae family.

This plant is a hybrid made by Polynesians a long time ago. It was created by mixing two species, Hibiscus cooperi and H. kaute, from Vanuatu and French Polynesia.

Today, it is grown in tropical and subtropical areas for its lovely flowers. The hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia, and it is also loved in Haiti.

Description

Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis is a bushy, evergreen shrub or small tree that grows between 2.5–5 metres (8–16 feet) tall and 1.5–3 metres (5–10 feet) wide. The plant has a branched taproot. Its stem stands upright, with light-grey bark that is easy to peel.

The leaves are simple and have a stalk connecting them to the stem. They are oval-shaped with pointed tips and serrated edges. The leaves have a glossy surface and visible veins.

The flowers bloom in summer and autumn. They are usually red with five petals about 10 centimetres (4 inches) across. Some flowers have orange tips. There are many different colours of flowers, including white, pink, orange, peach, yellow, blue, and purple.

At the base of each flower bud is a green part called the calyx, with pointed ends known as sepals. The flowers have both male and female parts. The female part, called the pistil, collects pollen. The male part, called the stamen, produces pollen.

Taxonomy

Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum. The name means "rose of China", even though the plant is not a true rose and did not come from China. It belongs to the Hibiscus genus, which is part of the Malvaceae family.

Genetics

Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis has a special genetic feature called polyploidy, where the plant has more than two sets of chromosomes. This makes the flowers and plants look different from their parents. People enjoy crossing different varieties to create new and unique flowers. There are even competitions to show off these beautiful new creations.

Origin

The Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis is a special flower that scientists think came from mixing two other hibiscus plants. A study in 2024 showed this. The two plants are called Hibiscus cooperi and Hibiscus kaute. These plants came from faraway places called Vanuatu and Tahiti.

H. kaute was very important to the people of Polynesia. They used it in their medicine. That is why they brought it across the Pacific Ocean in their traditional Polynesian seafaring canoes. There, it mixed with H. cooperi and made this beautiful new flower.

Ecology

Even though Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis has big, colorful flowers that usually attract birds that like nectar, hummingbirds in the Neotropics don’t visit them very often. Sometimes, certain birds like the sapphire-spangled emerald or the stripe-breasted starthroat might stop by. But in the subtropical and temperate parts of the Americas, hummingbirds are often drawn to these flowers.

The endangered Papilio homerus butterfly, which is the largest butterfly in the western hemisphere, enjoys feeding on the nectar from H. × rosa-sinensis.

Cultivation

Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis is often grown as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropics areas. It cannot survive temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F), so in temperate places, it is usually grown inside glass structures. In summer, plants in containers can be placed outside and moved inside during winter.

There are many cultivars with flowers in colors like white, yellow, orange, scarlet, and pink. Some have single layers of petals, and others have double layers. The cultivar 'Cooperi' has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Pollen parent

Pod parent

One offspring

Another offspring

Example: two crosses of 'King Kalakaua' and 'Mystic Pink'. The photographs show that the flowers of the offspring plants look very different from the parent plants.

Uses

The flowers of Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis can be eaten and are sometimes added to salads in the Pacific Islands. People also use the flowers as decorations, like putting them in hair. In some parts of India, the flowers are used to shine shoes, which is why they are sometimes called the "shoeblack plant." In Indonesia and Malaysia, the flowers are known as "kembang sepatu" or "bunga sepatu," meaning "shoe flower."

These flowers can also help show if a liquid is acidic or basic. When added to an acidic solution, the flower turns dark pink or magenta, and in a basic solution, it turns green. In many places, the flowers are dried and used to make tea. In Chinese herbology, the flowers have been used to make black shoe polish or hair dye, and they can also color drinks. Some people believe that extracts from these flowers might help protect skin and improve skincare.

In culture

Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis is the national flower of Malaysia, called bunga raya in Malay. This name means "great flower" or "celebratory flower." It became the national flower in 1960. The red petals stand for the courage and energy of the Malaysian people, and the five petals represent the five main ideas that hold the country together. You can see this flower on Malaysian money.

This flower is also an important symbol in Haiti, where it helps show the beauty of the country to visitors. In Bengal, a part of India, red hibiscus flowers are used in special ceremonies for worshipping.

Stamps

• In March 1987, DPR Korea made a postage stamp showing Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis.
• On 7 October 2012, Sri Lanka released a stamp set of four Archived, including one with a Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis flower.