I have several of these plants. This particular one, above, which I believe is one of the most common, is possibly the best of the lot.
This white one with the red centre is good, it always flowers really well.
This one tends to stay 'furled', only a few open-up completely. No idea why.
A few years ago, I admired a double white one in a friend's garden. She saved some seeds for me, but they always reverted to single. Later she gave me a plant, but that too turned out to be a single (above). We both gave up!
A surprisingly easy plant to grow. Some call them Hibiscus; I shall continue to call them Althéa.
My job is to stick them in ground and Mrs G's job is remember their names. She's the expert. But they do look nice whatever they are called. Can you make tea from them?
ReplyDeleteTea? No idea! The flowers are at their best at the moment. I keep finding new ones poking out from other plants.
DeleteKnow them as hibiscus here. We have a few. Nice easy plants to grow from cuttings.
ReplyDeletePerfect for someone like me, who only does vegs!
DeleteStick a piece in at the end of a row of vegies and you should have a new bush.
Deletewhen Max and I were renting in the early 1970's there was a huge plum tree in the garden. The owner told us her late husband had used a piece of plum as a row marker and it had grown into that tree.
I usually cut bits from a Hazel Nut tree, and they do the same.
DeleteVery pretty flowers!
ReplyDeleteThey really are beautiful; very 'pure'.
DeleteI particularly like the white red centred one. They grow here as hibiscus but I alway thought they favoured tropical climates.
ReplyDeleteI think you could describe our climate at the moment as 'Tropical'. Phew!
DeleteI have a red one in my garden, i love the flowers.
ReplyDeleteI'd like a red one; I've not seen one here. Maybe I should visit a garden centre.
DeleteThey don't ring a bell but if they're easy to grow then they are for me too!
ReplyDeleteJust take some seeds from a neighbour, and Bob's yer Uncle!
DeleteSo pretty and similar to Lavatera ...... you can’t eat them though Cro 🤣🤣😂🤣 XXXX
ReplyDeleteWe have several Lavatera bushes. They flower for months. Good value plants.
DeleteWe know them as hibiscus. We have one that was already here when we moved in eleven years ago. It is now a tree! Our is mauve with burgundy centre. Seems to do well whatever sort of summer we have.
ReplyDeleteHibiscus is the most commonly used name, but I first encountered them as Althéa. Ours always do well, they seem to thrive on heat and drought.
DeleteWe call this shrub Rose of Sharon. I have one with the pink flowers and its flowering right now. Its very hot right now.. It is common here and does survive the winter. Very hardy.
ReplyDeleteWhat gardeners call 'A good doer'.
DeleteI have similar flowers. My larger ones are Hibiscus with branches that fan out and the smaller one is on a tighter bush (that can get quite tall) which as Jane said, is called Rose of Sharon. They are all so beautiful and best of all, take little care.
ReplyDeleteI trim mine back quite hard each winter; they seem to like it.
DeleteBeautiful Cro. But I doubt it would grow successfully over winter this far North.
ReplyDeleteI really have no idea, but I don't remember seeing them in the UK.
DeleteIstick to single flower forms...better for the bees.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers
The double white one I was after was very nice, in a 'flamenco' sort of way.
DeleteI know them as Hibiscus but Althéa is a prettier name.
ReplyDeleteDid I hear 'whooping and hollering' from your side of the hill? Welcome home.
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