Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, also known as Zhu Jin, Buddha Jin, Chinese Rose and more, belongs to the Malvaceae family and Hibiscus genus. It’s commonly known as the Big Red Flower in the Lingnan region of China due to its predominantly large, red flowers.
Native to China, it has a long history of cultivation and is one of China’s famous flowers, referred to in ancient times as Fo Sang, Flower on Flower, among others. The hibiscus has an erect stem with many branches, and can grow up to 6 meters tall.
The leaves are alternately arranged, resembling mulberry leaves. The flowers are large, available in single and double petal varieties. The single-petal flowers are funnel-shaped, usually rose-red in color, while the double-petal varieties are not funnel-shaped and can be red, yellow, pink, white, etc. It blooms throughout the year, with the most abundant blooming in summer and autumn.
Basic Introduction
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is also known as Buddha Jin, Zhu Jin, Fo Sang, Big Red Flower, Chi Jin, Ri Ji, Mu Jin, Red Hibiscus, Red Mu Jin, Sang Jin, Fire Red Flower, Zhao Dian Hong, Song Jin, Er Hong Hua, Flower on Flower, Tu Hong Hua, Fake Peony, Hanging Orchid Peony, Chinese Rose.
Hibiscus is a famous flower in China, and it is commonly cultivated in Southern China. It has a long flowering period, almost all year round, with large, brightly colored flowers that bloom abundantly.
Due to its easy maintenance, besides being popular in subtropical regions for landscaping, it is also an important greenhouse and indoor plant in the Yangtze River Basin and areas to the north. It can also be used for medicinal purposes.
What are the varieties of Hibiscus Flowers
There are many varieties of hibiscus, with more than 3000 globally. Hawaii has the most varieties, while China has relatively fewer.
Variegated Leaf Hibiscus
This type of hibiscus is most commonly seen in flower beds, especially on school campuses. The flowers are mostly red, the leaves are long and needle-shaped, with each leaf having a unique pattern. The base color is green, with white or light green lines on top. The color of the veins also varies, hence it’s also known as the variegated leaf hibiscus.
Red Hibiscus
This type of hibiscus has a distinctive flower. The flowers open when the sun rises and close when the sun sets, hence it is known as the “rising sun.” As indicated by its name, the flowers are deep red. When the early sun rises, the flowers hang high on the branches, with the width of the flower cluster reaching over ten centimeters wide.
Yellow Hibiscus
Scientifically known as “Yu Yi Huang,” it is a perennially flowering plant, although the flowering speed is relatively slow. The yellow, single-petal inflorescences are ovate, with a little fluff on the outside.
The leaves are broad-ovate and narrow-ovate, with a small amount of leaf hair along the veins on both sides of the leaves. Among hibiscus species, it has high ornamental value but is the single-petal variety with the lowest survival rate from cutting propagation.
Black Dragon Hibiscus
The Black Dragon Hibiscus is an evergreen shrub. Its flowers bloom at the branch joints and naturally droop. The diameter of the flower crown is large, and the color is relatively deep, mostly deep red or black-purple.
The leaf surface has some wrinkles and reflective patterns, is smooth and hairless, and the leaf edge has coarse teeth; it features all-year-round flowering, with a long flowering period, and is one of the main flowering plants placed in public places.
Sunset Hibiscus
Named “Sunset” because of the color of the petals changing from the flower center outwards, which looks like the glow of the sunset. The Sunset Hibiscus is single-petaled, the shape of the flower crown is somewhat similar to a funnel, the color of the flower center is deeper, and the petals at the outer edge are yellow.
There are vertical stripes in the flower center, the patterns are clear and visible; after the flower blooms, the petals naturally droop, and the middle stamen stands upright towards the sun.
Growth and Distribution
Growing Conditions
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, also known as Zhu Jin, is native to southern China. It prefers a warm and humid climate, cannot withstand cold frost, does not tolerate shade, and prefers to grow in sunny, well-ventilated places. It does not have strict soil requirements but grows best in fertile, loose, slightly acidic soil, with winter temperatures not lower than 5℃.
Hibiscus is a strong sun-loving plant that prefers warm, moist conditions and requires plenty of sunlight. It does not tolerate shade, cold, or drought. In the Yangtze River Basin and areas to the north, it can only be potted, and overwintered in a greenhouse or other protected area, keeping the temperature at 12～15℃.
If the room temperature is lower than 5℃, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off, and if it is lower than 0℃, the plant will suffer from frost damage. It tolerates pruning and has a strong ability to branch. It adapts to a wide range of soils but grows best in slightly acidic loam with a pH of 6.5～7 and rich in organic matter.
Distribution Range
Hibiscus is native to China. Now it can be found all over the world, especially widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly flourishing on the islands of the South Pacific.
Morphology and Characteristics
The leaves of the hibiscus resemble those of the mulberry tree and also have round leaves. Axillary trumpet-shaped flowers are produced, with both single and double petals, the largest flower diameter reaching 25 cm. Hibiscus is an evergreen large shrub or small tree.
The stems are upright and branched, reaching up to 6 meters in height. Leaves are alternately arranged, broad ovate to narrow ovate, 7 to 10 cm in length, with three main veins.
The tip is abruptly pointed or gradually pointed, the leaf margin has coarse serrations or notches, the base is almost entire, glabrous or the veins on the back have a few sparse hairs, resembling mulberry leaves.
The flowers are large, have drooping or straight stems, are born singly in the upper leaf axils, and come in single or double petal variants. The single-petaled flowers are funnel-shaped, while the double-petaled ones are not. They come in red, yellow, pink, white, etc., flowering all year round, most abundant in summer and autumn.
The hibiscus flower is passionate and bold in appearance, yet has a unique flower heart. This is formed by the connection of many small pistils wrapped around the outside of the large pistils. The structure is quite delicate, just like a delicate heart under a passionate appearance.
Hibiscus Cultivation Methods
Potting Soil
For potted cultivation of hibiscus, you can use a flower pot with a diameter of about 11cm. A layer of broken tiles or stones should be laid at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer, then sprinkle in some base fertilizer.
It is suggested to mix sandy soil and manure in a ratio of 4:1 as the soil. After potting, water it thoroughly once and keep it in a cool place. After about a week of seedling acclimatization, you can start daily management.
Temperature
The most suitable growth temperature for hibiscus is between 15-25℃. When the temperature is in this range during flowering, the flowers can be maintained for a longer time. If the temperature is too high or too low, it will slow down plant growth and affect flowering.
Therefore, in a high-temperature environment in summer, hibiscus can be placed in a cool place for maintenance. In winter, it should be moved indoors, ensuring that the temperature does not drop below 5℃ to avoid frost damage.
Light
Hibiscus is a typical long-day plant and needs long periods of sunlight to grow more vigorously. In spring, autumn, and winter, it can accept full-day sunlight for cultivation, but keep it warm in winter.
In summer, when the sunlight is strong, it is best to place it in a cool place to receive scattered light, avoiding long periods of exposure to the scorching sun, so as not to burn the leaves.
Watering
Hibiscus doesn’t have a particularly high demand for water, just keep the soil in a moist state. In spring and autumn, you can water once a week, and in summer, when evaporation is high, water once every three days and spray water to maintain humidity is the best.
In winter, due to the lower temperature, the soil needs to be slightly dry, and watering once every ten days is enough.
Fertilizing
During the growth process of hibiscus, a compound liquid fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can be used to promote its growth. However, before the flowering period, it should be switched to phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, using as little nitrogen fertilizer as possible.
This can promote the differentiation of flower buds and improve the quality of the flowers. A top dressing can be added before winter to increase the plant’s cold resistance.
Pruning
The key to pruning hibiscus is to suppress its upward growth as much as possible and shape a low, dwarf, chubby tree shape. The best times to prune hibiscus are two phases: one in May in spring, and the other in August in summer.
At other times, it should be determined based on the length of sunlight and its growth volume. Generally, after pruning, the hibiscus will bloom in as little as 20 days. The more it is pruned, the larger the flowers it produces, and the more flowers it produces.
Cultivation Cautions
- During the maintenance process of hibiscus, keep the environment ventilated. If the ventilation is not good, scale insects can easily grow.
- During the growth period, timely remove the top shoots to promote the production of lateral branches and achieve a full plant shape effect.
Propagation Methods of Hibiscus
The cultivation propagation methods of hibiscus can be basically divided into three types: seed propagation, cutting propagation, and grafting propagation. Different seasons and climates, as well as different cultivation environments, require different propagation methods.
Seed Propagation
The hibiscus seed sowing time can be selected around March to May in spring. Selecting seeds is critical, choose healthy and plump seeds, not shriveled and unhealthy ones.
Prepare warm water in advance, soak the seeds in it for a while, and then take them out and place them on moist paper towels to promote seed germination. Prepare the soil, evenly spread the seeds into the soil of the flower pot, and cover the seeds with soil.
The maintenance after sowing is also important and can affect the germination of the seeds. After sowing, do not move to a place with strong light, you can keep it under suitable scattered light, maintain good ventilation, and water in time to keep it moist.
Cutting Propagation
Although cutting propagation can be carried out all year round, it is best from May to June. Choose a robust semi-woody branch of the year, cut it to a length of 10-12 cm, retain the upper 1-2 leaves, clean and disinfect, and then insert it into river sand.
Maintain by spraying water to control humidity, and cover with a thin film to keep warm and moist. Roots grow in 20 days, and potting in 45 days.
Grafting Propagation
The best time for grafting propagation of hibiscus is during the vigorous growth period in spring. Grafting operation is more troublesome, the scion with the same thickness as the rootstock is cleft-grafted into it, align and adjust the scion and the notch on the rootstock.
Usually, a successfully grafted hibiscus can survive in one month, but temperature and humidity control must be maintained during this period.
Value and Others
Efficacy and Function of Hibiscus
Medicinal Value
【Main Function】
Sweet and cold in nature, it regulates menstruation, clears the lungs, dissolves phlegm, cools the blood, detoxifies, diuretic, and reduces swelling.
Flowers
The hibiscus flowers are harvested during the flowering season. After harvesting, remove dirt and other impurities, they can be dried for later use or used fresh, usually made into soup or stew.
For external use, you can crush fresh flowers and apply them to the affected area. Hibiscus flowers contain gossypetin, quercetin, kaempferol, acetic acid, cyanidin-3-glucoside, sap, and vitamins.
In Chinese medicine, hibiscus flowers are sweet and cold in nature, have the effects of cooling the blood, detoxifying, diuretic, reducing swelling, clearing the lungs, and resolving phlegm. They are suitable for acute conjunctivitis, urinary tract infections, nosebleeds, irregular menstruation, lung heat cough, mumps, mastitis, and other diseases.
Leaves and Stems
Hibiscus leaves and stems can be harvested all year round. After harvesting, remove dirt and other impurities, they can be dried for later use or used fresh, the stems need to be sliced. For external use, crush fresh leaves and apply them to the affected area.
Hibiscus leaves and stems contain β-sitosterol, taraxasterol, esters, and enzymes. Hibiscus leaves are mainly used to treat skin sores.
Root
The hibiscus root can be harvested all year round. After harvesting, remove dirt and other impurities, it can be dried for later use, the root needs to be sliced. The hibiscus root contains branch tannins, the efficacy is similar to flowers, and it is the main medicinal part of Chinese medicine.
Gardening Applications
The bright and eye-catching hibiscus flowers bloom in the morning and fade in the evening. With their gorgeous purple and red colors, they are often planted sporadically on the banks of ponds, in front of pavilions, along the road, and by the wall in the south. Potted hibiscus is suitable for display in the living room and at the entrance.
Flower Language of Hibiscus
- Fresh Love: The hibiscus flower is bright red. The fiery red flower is like a beating heart, symbolizing fresh love. However, due to the similarity between the name of hibiscus and mourning in Chinese, people generally do not gift hibiscus flowers in daily life, and there are few plantings. They are mostly used to decorate flower beds.
- Out of the Ordinary and Pure: The unique hibiscus flower is like breaking away from the mundane, wanting to show its unique beauty.
- Shy: When hibiscus buds are about to bloom, they resemble a shy girl, so one of the flower’s meanings is shyness.
- Delicate Beauty: Its slender flower stems and long pistils create a sense of delicate beauty.
National and City Flowers
Due to the ease of cultivation and long ornamental period, hibiscus is beloved by people all over the world. It is the national or state flower of Malaysia in Asia, Sudan in Africa, Fiji in Oceania, and Hawaii in the United States.
It is also the city flower of Nanning in Guangxi and Yuxi in Yunnan, China, demonstrating the status of hibiscus in Asia, Africa, and other continents.
Peggie was once a high school mathematics teacher, but she set aside her chalkboard and textbooks to follow her lifelong passion for flowers. After years of dedication and learning, she not only established a thriving flower shop but also founded this blog, “Flowers Library”. Here, Peggie shares the art and science of floristry, offers practical tips for nurturing plants, delves into the captivating histories of various species, and provides insights into running a successful flower shop. She hopes that everyone can take a moment now and then to immerse themselves in the world of flowers. If you have any questions or wish to learn more about flowers, feel free to contact Peggie.
