Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Malvaceae

Genus:

Hibiscus

Species:

Hibiscus laevis

USDA Symbol:

HILA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

200 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

white, pink

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Host Plant for Caterpillars

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; common in fire-maintained wetland margins and floodplains.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, moist, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

commonly found in wetlands and riverbanks

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Seeds germinate readily in warm, moist conditions.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI