White Kalakaua Hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'White Kalakaua'
Height: 10 feet
Spread: 7 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Other Names: Tropical Hibiscus, Chinese Hibiscus
Description:
This elegant variety presents large, loosely double, creamy white blooms with light peach tones; a well branched, bushy habit makes it an ideal hedge, screen, or background planting; do not allow to dry to wilting point; easy to care for
Ornamental Features
White Kalakaua Hibiscus features bold creamy white round flowers with shell pink overtones and gold anthers at the ends of the branches from mid spring to late fall. Its serrated oval leaves remain dark green in color throughout the year.
Landscape Attributes
White Kalakaua Hibiscus is a multi-stemmed evergreen tropical plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
White Kalakaua Hibiscus is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Planting & Growing
This plant is native to the tropics and prefers growing in moist environments with evenly warm conditions all year round. In our climate, it is usually grown as an outdoor annual in the garden or in a container. If you want it to survive the winter, it can be brought in to the house and provided with special care, and then returned to the garden the following season. In its preferred tropical habitat, it can grow to be around 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. However, when grown as an annual or when overwintered indoors, it can be expected to perform differently, and its exact height and spread will depend on many factors; you may wish to consult with our experts as to how it might perform in your specific application and growing conditions.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. To help this plant achive its best flowering performance, periodically apply a flower-boosting fertilizer from early spring through into the active growing season. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
White Kalakaua Hibiscus is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
-- THIS IS A TROPICAL PLANT AND SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO SURVIVE THE WINTER OUTDOORS IN OUR CLIMATE --