Product Description

Hibiscuses have entered an era of increasing popularity as garden designers and home gardeners rediscover the fine attributes of these wonderful plants. Here is the only book that covers the species and cultivars of the genus Hibiscus completely and in detail. Barbara Perry Lawton surveys both kinds of hibiscus: the tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate plants whose pure, clean colors are such grand assets to modern gardens and homes, as well as the hardy perennials and shrubs that thrive in spite of snow, ice, drought, flood, or poor soil, bearing bright flowers year after year. These classic flowers have a long and fascinating history. The book chronicles the history and traditions of their use in addition to those of Hibiscus relatives such as hollyhocks, okra, and cotton. With more than 200 species, there is great diversity in the genus Hibiscus. Barbara Perry Lawton introduces all gardeners, expert and novice alike, to the possibilities offered by these plants. A photographic gallery of hibiscuses illustrates the richness of the many species and cultivars from which the gardener may choose.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1237527 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 184 pages

Review
A very well written book that was both enjoyable and enlightening to read. I would certainly recommend it to anyone interested in gardening with hibiscus as an entry into the sometimes bewildering world of cultivated hibiscus. Randall Small, Plant Science Bulletin, Fall 2005 (Plant Science Bulletin )

An excellent resource on the genus. It is a recommended addition to all libraries that have collections in horticulture. Kathy Fescemyer, E-Streams, August 2005 (E-Streams )

About the Author
Barbara Perry Lawton served as editor and manager of publications for the Missouri Botanical Garden, president of the Garden Writers Association of America, and weekly garden columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Her other Timber Press books include Hibiscus (2004) and Mints (2002). She lives in Valley Park, Missouri.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Hardy hibiscuses will not thrive in tropical or subtropical climates such as those found in southern Florida. They require a cold season to flourish, much as apple trees do. Nevertheless, once established, these hibiscuses can endure weather and environmental extremes amazingly well. They thrive in full sun with moist, fertile soil that is of good texture, producing maximum numbers of flowers when provided with six or more hours of sun each day. They are adaptable, however, and can tolerate ordinary soil, dry conditions, and some shade once they have recovered from transplanting. Since many of these floriferous beauties descend from plants that grow in wetlands, they are tolerant of wet soils, although, like many bottomland natives, they are also tolerant of droughty conditions. Hardy hibiscuses are not particularly fussy with regard to pH, adjusting well to the usual garden soil, which will probably be anywhere from 6.5 to 7.5. Photoperiodism defines a plant's physiological response to day or night length. Changes of season often determine such events as seed germination and flowering. Plants determine the time of year by means of the relative lengths of night and day. This can be especially important for plants that are native to areas that are far from the equal nights and days of equatorial regions. Some plants, such as poinsettias and chrysanthemums, are initiated into flowering by short days and long nights. Others, such as beans, corn, and cotton, are day-neutral plants, meaning they are unaffected by the photoperiod. Still others are triggered into flowering by long days and short nights. Hardy hibiscuses are considered to be long-day plants, but in actuality they are short-night plants. It has long been believed that their flowering is initiated by day lengths exceeding twelve hours. However, recent studies suggest that it is the comparatively short period of darkness that spurs the development of flowers. Knowing about the native environment of a plant and then trying to match those conditions at home is the key to success with any plant. Learn what kind of climate and soil it thrives in where it is indigenous. If you are growing plants bred from or descended from species that originated in marshy locations in the eastern United States, you can confidently assume that your plants will be a good choice for soggy, poorly draining locations. If, on the other hand, the plants derive from species native to the desert Southwest and Mexico, the last place you will want to plant them is in a site with poor drainage. Given a few simple environmental conditions, depending on the species or on the origin of the cultivar, hardy hibiscuses are easy to grow, and reward gardeners with both the large size of their blossoms and the profusion of bloom. Most hardy hibiscuses found in the marketplace are hybrids developed from species native to damp or even wet places in eastern North America, often in the same locations where cattails are found. T