Hibiscus moscheutos | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malvales |
Family: | Malvaceae |
Genus: | Hibiscus |
Species: | H. moscheutos
|
Binomial name | |
Hibiscus moscheutos |
Hibiscus moscheutos, the rose mallow, swamp rose-mallow,[2] crimsoneyed rosemallow,[3] or eastern rosemallow,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is a cold-hardy perennial wetland plant that can grow in large colonies. The hirsute leaves are of variable morphology, but are commonly deltoidal in shape with up to three lobes.[4] It is found in wetlands and along the riverine systems of the eastern United States from Texas to the Atlantic states, its territory extending northward to southern Ontario.[5]
Numerous forms exist in nature. It is a tall plant, with a height of 1.5–2.5 metres (4.9–8.2 ft) and flowers up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) across.[6] Petal colors range from pure white through various pinks to deep red,[7] and most have an eye of deep maroon.[4] Taxonomic consensus is lacking for the nomenclature of the multiple subspecies. The flowers are borne apically, whereas the related Hibiscus laevis carries bud and bloom along the stem.