Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Malvaceae

Genus:

Hibiscus

Species:

Hibiscus aculeatus

USDA Symbol:

HIAC

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

yellow, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; historically found in fire-maintained pine flatwoods and savannas.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination; seeds may benefit from soaking in warm water prior to cold stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI