hibiscus-varieties

The 50 Most Beautiful And Hardy Hibiscus Varieties

Hibiscus flowers are more associated with summer, but some varieties are also hardy. We present the most beautiful varieties of hibiscus. Whether in the apartment, on the windowsill, balcony, terrace, or outdoors in the open field: the hibiscus (Hibiscus) is so incredibly diverse that there are suitable species and variety for every location. Originally native to Southeast Asia, China, and Polynesia, it has long been impossible to imagine our garden landscape without the hibiscus. We take you into the great diversity of hibiscus and introduce you to the most beautiful hibiscus species and varieties.

Hibiscus Species: An Overview

Before we turn to the most beautiful varieties, the following is an overview of the different species: there are said to be about 220 species of hibiscus worldwide. Also, there are countless varieties for each species. So the hibiscus is incredibly diverse. Here is an overview of the most important hibiscus species:

  • The Rose Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-Sinensis): this species is also called Chinese hibiscus or indoor hibiscus. It is not hardy and can therefore only be cultivated in pots.
  • The Garden Hibiscus (Hibiscus Syriacus): Probably the most popular hibiscus species in Europe. It is hardy and can be grown very well outdoors.
  • The Almond Hibiscus (Hibiscus mutabilis): Another hardy hibiscus species, characterized by its changing flower colors.
  • The Swamp Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutus): This hibiscus species grows particularly herbaceous and can become very tall. It is also hardy.
  • Other, rather less common species are Hibiscus arnottianus, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Hibiscus caesius, Hibiscus calyphyllus, and Hibiscus trionum.

Hibiscus-sabdariffa

Rose Hibiscus Varieties

The so-called rose hibiscus (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis) belongs to the heat-loving plants and is therefore not suitable for year-round cultivation outdoors, but must be overwintered indoors. The species is very popular as a pot or houseplant and has a very wide variety of cultivars.

  • Gator Magic‘: This very rare variety of hibiscus is characterized by pink, double flowers with yellow edges. It blooms from April to November.
  • Donna Lynn‘: This hibiscus variety blooms deep red inside, then purple and yellow around the outside.
  • Gwen Mary‘: Throughout the summer, this variety blooms with bright pink flowers. The flowers can be up to 63″ in diameter.
  • Chasing Rainbows‘: This hibiscus variety has particularly large flowers. It blooms in a bright red, and the flowers in the center have a dark red wreath.
  • Dark Continent‘: The special flowers of this variety are brown on the outside and ruby red on the inside and have a diameter of 64″. It loves sunlight and blooms from April to November.
  • Jolanda Gommer‘: In a sunny location, this hibiscus variety grows up to 82″ tall. The flowers are large and convince with a color mixture of purple, orange, and red.
  • Expect Miracles‘: Translated, the name of this variety means “expect miracles”. The large, rich orange flowers are always beautiful.
  • Tsunami‘: Another rare variety. The flowers are 65″ in diameter and are brown and orange. A bright and sunny location is especially important for this variety.
  • Coloring Book‘: As colorful as a coloring book, this variety lives up to its name. The flowers shine in yellow, orange, white, or pink and have a diameter of 73″. Flowering time is from April to November.
  • Standing Ovation‘: The flowers of this hibiscus variety vary between red-orange and yellow and can be 64″ in diameter. It blooms throughout the spring and summer.
  • Hula Girl‘: This hibiscus variety has large flowers that are bright yellow. Towards the center, the flowers turn red.
  • Voodoo Magic‘: This very rare hibiscus variety owes its mystical name to its special looking flowers. They are brown and have an orange eye in the center. These special flowers can be admired from April to November.
  • Tahitian Flaming Dragon‘: In a spot in the sun, this variety blooms pink with white stripes. The flowers have a diameter of 65″. You can enjoy the beautiful flowers from April to November.
  • Tahitian Lavender Mirage‘: This rare variety captivates by lavender-colored flowers with a diameter of 92″. Flowering time is from April to November. This hibiscus prefers a south-facing window with plenty of sunlight.
  • Cosmic Dancer‘: The flowers of this variety shine in a light to dark red and become lighter and lighter towards the outside until they are almost orange.
  • Eye of the Storm‘: This variety captivates with special wavy flowers. Their color varies from pale pink to lilac to intense pink.
  • Silver Charm‘: Not silver, but white are the flowers of this hibiscus variety. They can be 83″ in diameter and bloom in a sunny location from April to November.
  • Fruitango‘: between April and November, this rare variety fascinates with its pink double flowers with yellow edges.
  • Enchanted Lady‘: Although the flowers of this variety are yellow at the edges, they turn red towards the center and at the very center they are dark, almost black.
  • Early Morning‘: This variety captivates with large pink flowers. It grows up to 101″ tall and prefers a partial shade location.
  • Heartbreak Hotel‘: With a diameter of 89″, the red mottled flowers of this variety are captivating. It prefers sunny spots and blooms from April to November.

Learn how to grow rose hibiscus and other varieties of hibiscus in pots here.

Rose-Hibiskus

Hardy Hibiscus Species And Varieties

The following hibiscus species are all hardy, so they can be planted very well outside in the garden. We present the most popular varieties of garden, almond, and swamp hibiscus here.

Garden Hibiscus Varieties

Garden hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus) is a very hardy species that can also be wintered well outdoors. Due to its woody shoot formation, it is also suitable for growing into stems. Its cultivar diversity turns out to be rather small.

  • White Chiffon‘: This variety captivates with its pure white flowers. They are semi-double and have a diameter of 60″. The hibiscus can grow up to one and a half meters high and blooms from summer to fall.
  • Pinky Spot‘: Can grow up to one and a half feet tall. Flowers are red on the outside, white on the inside, and bloom from June to August.
  • Purpureus Variegatus‘: This rather rare cultivar captivates with its double, red to purple flowers and whitish-green foliage. It blooms from July to September and grows two feet tall.
  • Russian Violet‘: This variety charms with pink and dark purple flowers between July and September. In a location in the sun or partial shade, the plant can grow up to two meters high.
  • Luna Red‘: The flowers are red according to the name and grow up to 90″. This hibiscus variety loves a sunny, sheltered spot and needs light winter protection.
  • Duc de Brabant‘: The hibiscus variety with the French name is a broad-brush shrub that can grow up to three feet tall and one and a half feet wide. From July to October, this variety bears funnel-shaped flowers that are blue-red to dark red.
  • Marina‘: This variety of hibiscus grows up to two feet tall. The flowers are dark blue with dark red centers.
  • Pink Giant‘: As the name suggests, the flowers of this variety are very large and pink in color. It is not very vigorous and is very sensitive to frost, especially as a young plant.Woodbridge-hibiscus
  • Luna Pink Swirl‘: The large flowers captivate in white-pink tones and grow up to 96″ in size. At the same time, the plants constantly form new flowers throughout the summer. This variety loves a sunny, sheltered spot and needs light winter protection.
  • Monstrosus‘: Not a monster, but beautiful is this hibiscus variety. It blooms white and turns red toward the center. Flowering time is from July to October.
  • Blue Bird‘: The bluebird impresses with its large, blue flowers that don’t mind the rain and bloom very early in the year.
  • Speciosus‘: The flowers of this variety are white filled with a dark red center. The plant can grow up to two feet tall.
  • Jeanne d’Arc‘: This variety can grow up to two meters high. It blooms for a very long time, into November, and bears white, semi-double flowers. It prefers a partial shade location and sheds its leaves in winter.
  • Coelestis‘: This hibiscus variety can grow one to two feet tall. It blooms pale purple from July to September. A place in partial shade is ideal for this variety.
  • Blue Chiffon‘: This relatively new variety blooms in summer and fall with semi-double blue flowers. It is very hardy and can grow up to 2 yd high.
  • Leopoldii‘: The double flowers of this variety are soft pink and turn red towards the center. The plant can grow up to two and a half feet tall and requires a sunny to partial shade location.
  • Cheeky Point‘: a rather rare hibiscus variety in which the white flowers are semi-double.
  • Red Heart‘: This variety truly has a red heart, as the white flowers bear a red dot in the center. In a sunny to partial shade location, it grows up to a foot and a half tall and blooms from July to October. It sheds all its foliage in the fall.
  • Lady Stanley‘: captivates with pale pink double flowers that turn dark purple toward the center.
  • Ardens‘: This variety has a beautiful flower shape with especially large flowers. These bloom in a delicate lilac and turn red toward the center.
  • Hamabo‘: This hibiscus variety can grow up to one and a half feet tall, preferring a sunny to partial shade location. The large flowers are pink and bloom from July to September. In winter, ‘Hamabo’ sheds its leaves.
  • Woodbridge‘: Between July and October, this variety presents you with ruby red to purple flowers.

Hibiscus-rose-sinensis

Almond Hibiscus Varieties

Almond Hibiscus (Hibiscus Mutabilis) is another hardy and robust species of hibiscus. The name mutabilis means “to transform” in Latin. This fits this species of hibiscus very well because the flowers change color differently during the blooming season. The almond hibiscus grows shrubby, bushy, and can reach 1.64 yds in height. In general, this species prefers a location in the sun. We now present the most popular varieties of this species:

  • Shanghai Pink‘: with a very rich flowering gift you this variety of hibiscus. The flowers turn from pink to dark pink and bloom from September.
  • Misty Pink‘: This variety of almond hibiscus is extremely rare. The flowers are soft pink and turn red toward the center.
  • Double‘: This multi-stemmed shrub bears double flowers 15 inches in diameter and can also be grown as a standard. The flower color changes from white to pink to red.

If you have chosen a winter-hardy hibiscus variety, your plant can quietly spend the cold season outside. Tips and tricks for the care of hibiscus can be found here.Hibiskus-Red-Moon

Swamp Hibiscus Varieties

Swamp marshmallow (Hibiscus moscheutus) is another hardy hibiscus species. This one needs plenty of suns to grow and can be grown directly in the garden due to its frost resistance. New varieties of this hibiscus species are being bred all the time. We recommend the following varieties:

  • Lady Baltimore‘: This very compact growing shrub will gift you with many pink flowers with red spots from summer to fall.
  • Blue River II‘: This variety also loves a sunny location and blooms with large, white flowers from May to October. The plant grows up to one and a half feet tall.
  • Summer Storm‘: With a diameter of up to 25 centimeters, this variety comes up trumps. The flowers are pink and bloom throughout the summer. The plant can grow up to one meter tall.
  • Anne Arundel‘: In full sun, this variety feels most comfortable and gifts you with plate-shaped pink flowers.
  • Planet Griotte Tangri‘: In a sunny location, this variety will give you red flowers from July to September.
  • Old Yella‘: Throughout the summer, this variety bears yellow flowers with a red spot in the center. The plant can grow up to one meter high.
  • Galaxy‘: This variety grows up to one meter tall and has white flowers with red-eye.
  • Chatelaine‘: Between June and September, this hibiscus variety blooms purple.
  • Southern Bell‘: This variety is extremely hardy and grows up to one meter tall. The flowers are pink.
  • Cranberry Crush‘: The deep red flowers of this variety are up to 25 inches in diameter and bloom from July to September.

Once you have selected the right variety for your hibiscus, nothing stands in the way of planting.

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One Comment

  1. I work at a greenhouse and my boss has a few really beautiful hibiscus plants that he isnt selling because he needs to grow them bigger for cuttings. But they are literally so vibrant that they look photoshopped into real life. The double variety isn’t really all that great but the normal variety has very pronounced flowers with a glow to the color.

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