FNPS Plant Database

Hibiscus laevis

halberd-leaf rosemallow
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

halberd-leaf rosemallow

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Hibiscus laevis

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Flower

Size:

4–6 ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white, pink

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Winter dormant. Flowers in summer

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Background screen in wet garden.

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Aquatic -to- Somewhat moist, no flooding

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, Loam, Organic

Soil pH:

Circum neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars

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.

Attracts pollinators. Bees are especially important for fertilization.

Native Habitats:

Wet sites. Floodplains, riverbanks

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This is a wetland plant. It is rarely grown, but it has potential in appropriate sites.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Minno, Marc, and Maria Minno. (1999). Florida Butterfly Gardening: A Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Butterflies. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


Osorio, Rufino. (2001). A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


Wunderlin, R. P, B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.

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