Hibiscus mutabilisConfederate Rose

The Hibiscus mutabilis, commonly known as the Confederate Rose, does something no other hibiscus does: the large double flowers open white in the morning, deepen to pink through the day and finish deep red by evening, so a single bush carries three colours at once.

It is a fast, large deciduous shrub from southern China with downy maple-like leaves, used as an autumn feature, an informal screen and a courtyard specimen.

Specifications

• Height2 to 4 metres
• Width2 to 3 metres
• Native toSouthern China; long cultivated across East and Southeast Asia
• FoliageLarge, downy, lobed maple-like leaves; deciduous to semi-deciduous
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers fertile, well-drained soils and tolerates a range including clay
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterModerate; regular water through the growing season
• ClimateThrives in subtropical and warm temperate regions, including sheltered coastal positions, and tolerates light frost

Additional Features

• FlowersLarge double flowers opening white, deepening to pink and finishing red on the same day, in autumn
• UsesIdeal for feature planting, informal screening, courtyard and boundary beds
• SpacingPlant 2 to 3 metres apart for an informal screen
• Low MaintenancePrune hard in late winter to keep the plant compact and improve flowering
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust; monitor for aphid and whitefly on soft growth
• Seasonal AppealAn autumn flowering season, when most large shrubs have finished
• VersatilityGrown as a specimen, an informal hedge or a back-of-border filler

The Confederate Rose flowers when little else does, and the colour change through a single day is a talking point in any scheme.