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Taxonomy: |
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Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. ‘Kermessinus’ (Malvaceae)
Common Names: Chinese hibiscus
Classification:
Kingdom: Plantae-Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta-Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta-Seed plants
Division; Magnoliophyta-Flowering plants
Class: Dicotyledonae
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Hibiscus
Species: rosa-sinensis
Cultivar: Kermessinus
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Description: |
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This large shrub or small tree grows to 15' high in frost-free climates. The toothed leaves are arranged alternately and vary a lot, but tend to be large, dark green, and shiny.
This plant has a coarse texture and may be upright or broad and spreading. It is often many-stemmed. Flowers are glorious and huge at their best -- up to 6" in diameter -- and occur in many colors. Most are flared and have a bell shape and may be single or double, smooth or scalloped. They have a long central tube with stamens and pistils at the tip. The ‘Kermesinnus’ variety is white with a pink throat.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
(Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i)
(The American Hibiscus Society, 1990. The Hibiscus Handbook. The American Hibiscus Society Charitable Trust, Cocoa Beach, Florida.)
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Geographic Distribution: |
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Chinese Hibiscus is native to southern Asia.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
(Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i)
(The American Hibiscus Society, 1990. The Hibiscus Handbook. The American Hibiscus Society Charitable Trust, Cocoa Beach, Florida.)
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Status: |
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This are most variable of all hibiscus species, having a seemingly never ending array of colours and shapes in both double and single forms.
Originally thought to be a native to Asia, this species in unknown in the wild. This species has been widely cultivated and hybridized with other hibiscus species. There are now more than 3000 hybrids registered around the world. The downside to the ease with which this Hibiscus can be crossed with other species is that it often does so indiscriminately. Hawaii is host to several extremely threatened and endangered hibiscus species. Hybridization is just one of several threats these species face in their fight for survival.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
(Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i)
(The American Hibiscus Society, 1990. The Hibiscus Handbook. The American Hibiscus Society Charitable Trust, Cocoa Beach, Florida.)
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Species Interconnections and Interdependencies: |
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Hummingbirds are attracted to hibiscus flowers as well as many types of butterflies including Cloudless Sulfurs, Blues, and Gulf Fritillaries.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
(Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i)
(The American Hibiscus Society, 1990. The Hibiscus Handbook. The American Hibiscus Society Charitable Trust, Cocoa Beach, Florida.)
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Native Legends and Names: |
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Nobody knows whether the hibiscus really is a native of China as its latin name, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, rosa-sinensis meaning Chinese Rose suggests or not. Some say it comes from India.
What is certain is that it has existed in Europe for centuries. Old Moorish (Arabic) sources mention hibiscus being cultivated in Andalucia, Spain in the twelfth century. How closely related these "hibiscus" were to today’s Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrids we can only speculate. Many claim that Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is not a natural species at all but a collection of man-made hybrids. Its long history of cultivation could support such a view.
(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
(Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i)
(The American Hibiscus Society, 1990. The Hibiscus Handbook. The American Hibiscus Society Charitable Trust, Cocoa Beach, Florida.)
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