White Texas Star, Lone Star Perennial Hibiscus, White Swamp Hibiscus, Swamp Hibiscus

Description

Giant, snow white 6" pinwheels are produced throughout summer and often well into fall on sturdy stems with finely cut rich green foliage. The White Texas Star or Lone Star Perennial Hibiscus is a pure white form of the Scarlet Swamp Mallow that was selected by Houston plantsman Heidi Sheesley. This is a vigorous sun loving perennial which is native to the swampy soils of the southeastern US but is somewhat drought resistant once well-established in the garden. The glowing white flowers attract a variety of pollinators including hummingbirds, bees, and the occasional butterfly. Caterpillar host: Gray hairstreak.The huge flowers and clump forming habit of our native 'Hardy Hibiscus' make them excellent for adding bold summer color to the perennial garden and landscape. You can also use them as the center piece for large container gardens, in bog gardens, at the edges of ponds, or in any other sunny and consistently moist site.The many Perennial Hibiscus that we enjoy today were all bred using genetics from our US native species like Hibiscus coccineus. Like other Hardy Hibiscus, the Scarlet Rose Mallows are slow to emerge in spring and wait for the signal of warmer soil temperatures before they begin to show themselves often leading the impatient gardener (myself included) to think that they are ready for composting. These Perennial Hibiscus are simply smart enough to know to wait until all danger of frost has passed before raising their tender stems above the soil line.

These durable and hardy Hibiscus are clump forming, slowly developing larger and larger root masses from which more and more flowering stems can emerge each year. Remember, these are Hibiscus and so will enjoy a fertile soil as well as ample moisture during the growing season for the best flowering and growth. Otherwise the only maintenance that these perennials generally require is to remove the dead stems at the end of the year.