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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
  • Chinese Hibiscus

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Hibiscus genus in the family Malvaceae.

248px
Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • Hedge
    Hedge
    There are no details available for this function.
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Acid to Alkaline
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 9
    Zone 9
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has 0 edible uses listed
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has 0 material uses listed
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Young leaves are sometimes used as a spinach substitute[1][2]. A nutritional analysis is available[3].

Flowers - raw or cooked[4]. They can also be made into a kind of pickle or used as a purple dye for colouring foods such as preserved fruits and cooked vegetables[1][2]. A nutritional analysis is available[3].

Root - it is edible but very fibrousy[5]. Mucilaginous, without very much flavour[5].

Unknown part

Colouring

Flowers

Unknown use

Leaves

Unknown use

Root

Unknown use

Material uses

The juice from the petals is used in China as shoe-blacking and mascara[6]. A dye is made from the petals[7].

A good quality fibre is obtained from the stems[8]. In warm sub-tropical areas the fibres can be up to 3 metres long, but in Britain they are likely to be much shorter. The fibre is used for coarse fabrics, nets and paper[8].

Plants are often used for hedges and screens, though since they are not very cold hardy they are not suitable for this use in Britain[9].

Unknown part

Cosmetic
Fibre
Polish

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

Chinese hibiscus is a sweet, astringent, cooling herb that checks bleeding, soothes irritated tissues and relaxes spasms[6].

The flowers are aphrodisiac, demulcent, emmenagogue, emollient and refrigerant[4]. They are used internally in the treatment of excessive and painful menstruation, cystitis, venereal diseases, feverish illnesses, bronchial catarrh, coughs and to promote hair growth[6][4]. An infusion of the flowers is given as a cooling drink to ill people[7]. The leaves are anodyne, aperient, emollient and laxative[4]. A decoction is used as a lotion in the treatment of fevers[4]. The leaves and flowers are beaten into a paste and poulticed onto cancerous swellings and mumps[3]. The flowers are used in the treatment of carbuncles, mumps, fever and sores[3].

The root is a good source of mucilage and is used as a substitute for marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis) in the treatment of coughs and colds[4][7]. A paste made from the root is used in the treament of venereal diseases[7].

Unknown part

Anodyne
Antispasmodic
Aperient
Aphrodisiac
Astringent
Demulcent
Emmenagogue
Emollient
Poultice
Refrigerant
VD

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Hedge

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse. Germination is usually fairly rapid. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If growing them as annuals, plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer and protect them with a frame or cloche until they are growing away well. If hoping to grow them as perennials, then it is better to grow them on in the greenhouse for their first year and to plant them out in early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Overwinter them in a warm greenhouse and plant out after the last expected frosts.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Prefers a well-drained humus rich fertile soil in a warm, sheltered position in full sun[9][10].

A very ornamental plant[11], it is not very frost-tolerant and needs to be grown in essentially frost-free areas. It might succeed outdoors in the very mildest areas of the country if given a very sheltered warm position. Alternatively, it might be possible to grow the plant as a tender annual by starting it off early in a warm greenhouse. If well-grown it can flower and set seed in its first year. This species grows very well in a frost-free conservatory in Northern Europe so long as it is in a sunny position and free from draughts[10]. Plants will often lose most of their leaves in cool winters, though they will normally regenerate quickly as the warmer weather returns[10]. The flowers of Chinese hibiscus are very important in Hindu devotional ceremonies, being sacred to the Elephant God, Ganesh[6]. Individual flowers are short-lived, in many modern cultivars the flowers wither after 24 hours though in many of the older cultivars they can last for 48 hours[10].

There are many named forms, selected for their ornamental value[9].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Genus
Hibiscus
Family
Malvaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5]
Medicinal uses
[6][4][7][3]
Material uses & Functions
[6][7][8][9]
Botanic
[8][9][12]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Hedge
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
9
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
well drained
Environmental Tolerances
    Ecosystems
    Native Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Adapted Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Native Geographical Range
    None listed.
    Native Environment
    None listed.
    Ecosystem Niche
    None listed.
    Root Zone Tendancy
    None listed.
    Life
    Deciduous or Evergreen
    evergreen
    Herbaceous or Woody
    woody
    Life Cycle
    perennial
    Growth Rate
    ?
    Mature Size
    2.5 x 2.5 meters
    Fertility
    ?
    Pollinators
    Insects
    Flower Colour
    ?
    Flower Type
    hermaphrodite

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    "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


    "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.






    References

    1. ? 1.01.11.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
    2. ? 2.02.12.2 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
    3. ? 3.03.13.23.33.43.5 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)
    4. ? 4.04.14.24.34.44.54.64.7 Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. (1986-00-00)
    5. ? 5.05.15.2 Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana ISBN 0-00-634436-4 (1976-00-00)
    6. ? 6.06.16.26.36.46.5 Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. ISBN 0-7513-020-31 (1995-00-00)
    7. ? 7.07.17.27.37.47.5 Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-527-6 (2002-00-00)
    8. ? 8.08.18.28.3 Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation (1968-00-00)
    9. ? 9.09.19.29.39.4 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
    10. ? 10.010.110.210.3 Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. ISBN 0-330-37376-5 (1998-00-00)
    11. ? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
    12. ? [Flora of China] (1994-00-00)

    "image:Flower 011.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    Retrieved from "http://practicalplants.org/w/index.php?title=Hibiscus_rosa-sinensis&oldid=77745"
    Facts about "Hibiscus rosa-sinensis"RDF feed
    Article is incompleteYes +
    Article requires citationsNo +
    Article requires cleanupYes +
    Belongs to familyMalvaceae +
    Belongs to genusHibiscus +
    Functions asHedge +
    Has common nameChinese Hibiscus +
    Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
    Has edible partUnknown part +, Flowers +, Leaves + and Root +
    Has edible useColouring + and Unknown use +
    Has fertility typeInsects +
    Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
    Has hardiness zone9 +
    Has imageFlower 011.jpg +
    Has lifecycle typePerennial +
    Has material partUnknown part +
    Has material useCosmetic +, Fibre + and Polish +
    Has mature height2.5 +
    Has mature width2.5 +
    Has medicinal partUnknown part +
    Has medicinal useAnodyne +, Antispasmodic +, Aperient +, Aphrodisiac +, Astringent +, Demulcent +, Emmenagogue +, Emollient +, Poultice +, Refrigerant + and VD +
    Has primary imageFlower 011.jpg +
    Has search namehibiscus rosa-sinensis + and x +
    Has shade toleranceNo shade +
    Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
    Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
    Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
    Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
    Has soil water retention preferenceWell drained +
    Has sun preferenceFull sun +
    Has taxonomy nameHibiscus rosa-sinensis +
    Has water requirementsmoderate +
    Is deciduous or evergreenEvergreen +
    Is herbaceous or woodyWoody +
    Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
    Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
    Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +