Confederate rose

Sun

Full sun gives the best flowering; light afternoon shade is useful in very hot climates.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist during active growth, especially while establishing and during dry spells; avoid persistently waterlogged soil.

Soil

Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; tolerates clay if drainage is adequate.

Height

8-15 ft (2.4-4.6 m); often shorter where winter frost kills the stems

Spread

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m)

Flowers

Late summer through autumn; large single or double flowers, commonly opening white or pale pink and deepening to pink or rose-red. Colour change varies with the form.

Foliage

Large, softly hairy green leaves with three to seven broad lobes; provides a bold, leafy backdrop before flowering.

Growth

Fast

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   5 ft (1.4 m)

3. After 2 years

   8 ft (2.3 m)

4. After 3 years

   11 ft (3.3 m)

5. After 5 years

   11 ft (3.5 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant in spring after hard frosts, choosing a warm, sheltered position with room for its mature spread.
• Water deeply during dry weather rather than giving frequent light sprinklings.
• Apply compost in spring; use a balanced fertiliser only if growth is weak, as excess nitrogen encourages leaves rather than flowers.
• Mulch the root zone to conserve moisture, keeping mulch away from the stems.
• In colder parts of its range, add a generous insulating mulch after dormancy; protect container-grown plants from freezing.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove dead, damaged and crossing stems and shorten remaining branches if needed to control size. Where stems freeze back, wait until new growth reveals living wood, then cut dead stems close to the ground.

Spring

Plant after hard frosts, or check established plants for new shoots before removing winter-killed stems.

Spring

Top-dress with compost and renew mulch once the soil begins to warm.

Early summer

Water during dry spells and check tender shoots and leaf undersides for aphids and whiteflies.

Summer

Take softwood or semi-ripe cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots.

Late summer

Maintain steady moisture as flower buds develop; avoid heavy pruning.

Late autumn

After frost and leaf fall, insulate the root zone in colder gardens and move pots into frost-free shelter.

• Use as a late-season focal shrub at the back of a sunny mixed border.
• Pair with cannas and elephant ears for bold foliage and a tropical effect.
• Plant beside a lawn or terrace where the changing flower colours can be seen close up.
• Combine with ornamental grasses and autumn-flowering perennials for a loose, seasonal screen.

Garden styles it suits: Southern, Cottage garden, Tropical, Romantic rose garden, Autumn colour and Traditional.

Plant it with: Canna, Elephant ears, Salvia, Garden phlox, Switchgrass and New England aster.

Wildlife: Single flowers offer pollen and nectar to bees and other flower visitors; densely double forms provide less accessible food.

• Aphids and whiteflies: inspect new growth and leaf undersides; dislodge aphids with water and use insecticidal soap for persistent infestations, following the label.
• Spider mites in hot, dry weather: look for stippled leaves and fine webbing; maintain watering and rinse leaf undersides.
• Root rot in poorly drained soil: improve drainage or relocate the plant; do not keep the root zone saturated.
• Little or no flowering: provide full sun and a warm site, avoid excess nitrogen and late pruning, and recognise that short, cool growing seasons may not allow buds to open.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, although species-specific safety information is limited. No part is established as a serious poisoning hazard; do not treat it as a food plant, and discourage pets from chewing it.

• Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

  Usually has smaller leaves and flowers, retains a woody framework in colder climates, and does not show the same marked daily flower-colour change.

• Swamp rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)

  An herbaceous perennial with enormous, usually single flowers and less deeply lobed leaves; its stems die back each winter.

• Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

  Has glossy, mostly unlobed leaves rather than large, softly hairy, lobed leaves, and is much less tolerant of frost.

The species name mutabilis means changeable, referring to the flowers changing colour as they age.

Propagation. Root softwood cuttings in late spring or semi-ripe cuttings in summer, keeping them humid but not waterlogged. Seed can be sown in warmth in spring, but seedlings may differ from the parent; use cuttings to preserve a particular flower form.

Accepted botanical name

Hibiscus mutabilis

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Hawaii, the lower 48 states and Pacific Basin.

Native range

China South-Central, China Southeast and Taiwan.

Measured

Average height 357 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.