FNPS Plant Database
Hibiscus aculeatus
Nomenclature
Common Name:
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Family:
Malvaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
Size:
Life Span:
Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
Fruit Color:
Phenology:
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Considerations:
Availability:
Propagation:
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry
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Stays wet -to- Not wet but not extremely dry
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Unknown
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Sand
Soil pH:
Suitable to Grow In:
8A,8B,9A,9B
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
- Larval host of Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady Butterfly, Common Checkered Skipper and Tropical Checkered Skipper butterflies and four moths : Pearly Wood Nymph, Yellow Scallop Moth, Io Moth, and Delightful Bird-Dropping Moths.
- Attracts butterflies and native bees (including the Rose-mallow Bee which is a Hibiscus specialist), beetles, etc.
Native Habitats:
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
General Comments:
This is a wetland plant. It is rarely grown, but it has potential in appropriate sites.
Citations:
Huegel, Craig, N. 2012. Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Minno and Minno - butterflies, moths Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.
