Hibiscus in variety

A welcome sight in our tunnels, Hibiscus syriacus provides a fantastic splash of colour when many other garden plants are starting to fade. Its large, often showy flowers appear from late summer right into autumn, attracting bees and other pollinators. The leaves are a handsome dark green and lobed, but be patient with them; this is always one of the last shrubs on the nursery to leaf out in late spring, a clever trick to avoid frost.

This is a deciduous, upright shrub that typically grows with a vase shape. Over time, it can reach between 2.5 and 4 metres in height, though this is easily managed with pruning. It’s not fussy about soil, growing well in anything from clay to lighter soils, as long as it’s well-drained and doesn’t get waterlogged. For the best and most abundant flowers, give it a sheltered spot in full sun.

Once established, it’s a wonderfully low-maintenance plant. We recommend a prune in late winter or early spring before the new growth starts. Cut the previous year’s growth back to a couple of buds to encourage a strong framework and bigger flowers. It works beautifully as a standalone specimen in a lawn, at the back of a border, or even as an informal hedge.