Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Malvaceae

Genus:

Hibiscus

Species:

Hibiscus coccineus

USDA Symbol:

HICO2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

240 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

red, scarlet

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:

hummingbirds, butterflies, bees

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from rootstock after fire or winter dieback; native to fire-maintained wetland margins and swamps.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Thrives in wetland areas and along streams.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Scarification or soaking seeds in warm water for 24 hours improves germination. Seeds germinate best with warm temperatures around 70-75°F.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI