Hibiscus syriacus

‘Lavender Chiffon’
‘Minerva’
‘Diana’
‘Ardens’
‘Blue Chiffon’
Hibiscus syriacus
August
‘Minerva’
‘Red Heart’
‘Peoniflora’
‘Blue Chiffon’
‘Ardens’
‘Lucy’
‘Blushing Bride’
Hibiscus syriacus is a plant of particular interest to me…
and hence has showed up in a lot of my writings! However,
it appears that I’m not the only one talking about them. Just
this morning I read an article in Digger about the breeding
of Hibiscus syriacus and the quest to breed for non-seeding
cultivars (sterile). Again, I saw this plant as plant of the week
in UMD-Extension’s Weekly IPM Report.
These deciduous shrubs are proliferous bloomers,
their flowers nearly covering the shrubs starting as early as
July, lasting through September. To get the abundance of late
summer flowers, make sure to prune back heavily in spring,
as the flowers bloom on new growth. The flowers come in a
variety of colors and forms. They are white to red or purple or
violet, as well as further combinations. The flowers can either
be single or double.
As was mentioned in the Dig! article, the U.S. National
Arboretum has introduced four mostly-sterile cultivars:
‘Aphrodite’, ‘Diana’, ‘Helene’, and ‘Minerva’.
Waverly Farm Hibiscus syriacus current
availability:
‘Ardens’: Double flower, Pale purple/ rose-purple.
‘Blue Chiffon’: Rich blue single flowers, with frilly anemone centers.
Petals are streaked vinous red.
‘Blushing Bride’: Double flower, rich pink fading to white.
‘Diana’: One of the U.S. National Arboretum sterile introductions;
large pure white flowers that remain open at night.
‘Lavender Chiffon’: Single, deep lavender flowers with ruffled
anemone center, red eye at base of large petals.
‘Lucy’: Double, “red” flowers (look a murky magenta to me). A stronggrowing vigorous shrub.
‘Minerva’: One of the U.S. National Arboretum introductions.
Lavender with traces of pink overcast, prominent dark red eye spot.
Erect-growing, multi-stemmed, and low branched.
‘Peoniflora’: Double. Pink, color lightens or deepens depending on
temperature.
‘Red Heart’: Single, purple flowers with darker centers.
ACROSS
2. How many cultivars of Hibiscus syriacus does Waverly Farm currently have available?
4. Which U.S. National Arboretum H.s introduction is multi-stemmed and erect-growing?
6. Out of four H.s. cultivars introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum, how many does Waverly Farm grow?
7. Which Hibiscus syriacus flower is lavender with a ruffled
anemone center?
10. The U.S. National Arboretum H.s. cultivars were bred to be ______.
DOWN
1. A marine-esque term for describing the center petals of some Hibiscus syriacus cultivars.
2. What part of the plant do Hibiscus syriacus plants do the
buds form on?
3. Which H.s. cultivar’s flowers change color depending on temperatures?
To find crossword answers, visit our new
5. What season does Hibiscus syriacus start to facebook page at
www.facebook.com/waverlyfarm.
bloom?
8. What color are ‘Lucy’s flowers?
9. What color are ‘Peoniflora’s flowers?
To view our current availability
scan the code to visit the photo
catalog on our
website:
Waverly Farm
1931 Greenfield Rd
Adamstown MD 21710
(301) 874-8300
[email protected]