Hibiscus calyphyllus
Dense, fast-growing perennial shrub up to 3 m tall, with velvety, light-green leaves and large lemon-yellow flowers bearing a deep red to blackish centre, flowering year-round, especially January to April, in well-drained soil across warm to cooler areas.
Common Names
Lemon Yellow Rosemallow
Summary
An evergreen or deciduous shrub or perennial herb reaching up to 3 m, with a dense, rounded habit and large velvety light-green leaves up to 12 cm across that are 3–5-lobed; leaf surfaces stellate-pubescent above and stellate-pilosulose or stellate-tomentose beneath; flowers lemon-yellow, up to 12 cm in diameter, with a brownish to dark red centre, borne solitary in axils; epicalyx of five stellate-pubescent bracts; calyx up to 16 mm; petals up to 6 × 4.5 cm; fruit a capsule about 25 × 15 mm containing subreniform, tomentellous seeds; habitat includes forest edges, riverine forest, and bushland with termitaria within Brachystegia woodland, and flowering February to May; native range Eritrea to South Africa, Madagascar and western Indian Ocean islands, with distribution through East, Central and Southern Africa to Reunion and Mauritius; commonly known as Lemon-yellow Rosemallow.
For cultivation, prefers warm climates with full sun to light shade and well-drained fertile soil, regular deep watering, and tolerance for some dryness; propagation by seeds or stem cuttings (rooting hormone for cuttings); suitable for borders or containers; flowering ornamental value suited to tropical landscapes; hardiness zones roughly 6a–8a; prune after flowering to maintain shape and encourage growth; common pests include aphids and spider mites.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in
Spread
6 ft 7 in-9 ft 10 in
Hardiness Zones
Zones 6a-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained loamy soil rich in organic matter, pH 6.0–7.5
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
6.1-7.0
Bloom Color
Lemon-yellow
Bloom Time
Summer
Foliage Color
Light green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Cav.
- Publication
- Diss. 4: 283 (1787)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Malvales
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Genus
- Hibiscus
Synonyms
Hibiscus calycinus Hibiscus grandifolius Hibiscus calyphyllus var. grandiflorus Hibiscus borbonicus Hibiscus wildii