Last time our seeds were from a plant from Africa, the natal plum. This week our mystery seeds are from an Australian native:Â the blue hibiscus, Alyogyne huegelii.
Blue hibiscus is a large, perennial evergreen shrub that can definitely turn heads when it is flowering.
Here is Arizona it adds some bright contrast to the spring pageant of wildflowers.
The leaves are delicate, deeply lobed and covered with fine hairs.
Although called blue hibiscus, the flowers actually range in color from pink to deep purple.
What more can you say?
Blue hibiscus is easy to grow and drought tolerant. The only problem is that it can be very sensitive to some of the soil-borne fungal diseases (common in Arizona), such as Texas root rot.
Have you ever grown blue hibiscus?
Beautiful flowers! I would love to try to plant this in North Carolina.
Hi Jeff,
Yes, it is a beautiful plant. It might grow for you if you found a locally-adapted variety.
I live in Ontario- zone 5-6… and it does great as an annual when seeds allowed to drop. I SOOOOO wish i could have it as a perennial/ evergreen :(… but love having it as it is . 🙂
Am trying to re-mulch to see if that will save the root base- to save growing time in the spring.
Thanks. Good to know.