Valued for its attractive flowers, Hibiscus aculeatus (Comfortroot) is a large, long-lived perennial wildflower boasting showy flowers, up to 3-4 in. across (7-10 cm), adorned with a deep purplish-red center. Changing in color from cream to yellow before fading to pink, the petals are pleated scalloped edges. Blooming from late spring through fall, the blossoms attract many pollinators including butterflies and native bees. The blooms are followed by large scabrous capsules containing seeds. The leaves are alternately arranged, palmate and scabrous with toothed margins. Native to the southeastern United States, Comfortroot is a wetland species that can be found growing along the edges of savannas, bogs, hydric to mesic pine flatwoods and roadside ditches. It will go dormant and die back in the winter. Comfortroot is an attractive addition to moist landscapes, native plant gardens or wet wildflower gardens.

Vigorous, Hibiscus coccineus (Scarlet Rose Mallow) is a woody-based perennial noted for its 5-petaled, bright crimson red flowers, up to 3-5 in. across (7-12 cm). Blooming from mid-summer to early fall, the eye-catching flowers are adorned with conspicuous, protruding, creamy-white to pale yellow tubes of stamens. But even without these gorgeous blooms, this plant is worth growing for its shiny, palmately divided, deep green leaves.

Noted for its huge flowers, Hibiscus grandiflorus (Swamp Rose Mallow) is a showy herbaceous, shrub-like, perennial boasting very large hollyhock-like flowers, up to 6-10 in. across (15-25 cm), with 5 overlapping petals in white or pink, and a sharply contrasting reddish-purple throat surrounded by yellow stamens. Blooming from the axils of the leaves in early spring to late summer (depending on geographic location), the blossoms open by day and close at night. They last about 1-2 days, but new flowers open each day in rapid succession throughout the bloom season. The showy flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. But even without these gorgeous blooms, this plant is worth growing for the handsome foliage of alternate, velvety, heart-shaped, gray-green leaves, 10 in. long (25 cm). Endemic to the swamps, marshes and ditches, of the southeast U.S., Swamp Rose-Mallow is excellent for wetland gardens, bogs or pond areas.

Hibiscus laevis (Halberd-Leaved Rose Mallow) is a herbaceous perennial with erect stout stems boasting large hollyhock-like flowers, up to 6 in. across (15 cm), with spreading petals in white or pink, and a sharply contrasting maroon or purple throat. Each 5 petaled flower has a conspicuous, protruding, creamy-white to pale yellow staminal column. Blooming from the axils of the leaves in late spring to fall (depending on geographic location), the cup-shaped blossoms open by day and close at night. The showy flowers attract butterflies, moths, and bumblebees. But even without these gorgeous blooms, this plant is worth growing for the handsome foliage of alternate, three-lobed leaves, 6 in. long (15 cm), which resemble the shape of the halberd used in the 15th and 16th centuries. Hibiscus laevis is a strikingly showy North American species that is excellent for wetland gardens, perennial gardens, bogs, or pond areas.

Vigorous, Hibiscus lasiocarpos (Woolly Rose Mallow) is an upright, herbaceous perennial boasting very showy flowers, up to 4-6 in. across (10-15 cm), adorned with 5 white or pale pink petals and a contrasting crimson center. Each flower has a conspicuous, protruding, creamy-white to pale yellow staminal column. Blooming from mid-summer to fall, the blossoms open for a single day, but new flowers open each day in rapid succession until late in the season. The flowers are a nectar source for butterflies and other insects and a pollen and nectar source for a variety of bee species. The specialist bee, Ptilothrix bombiformis, uses this plant as a primary pollen source to feed its larvae. The blooms are followed by densely-hairy fruit capsules containing spherical seeds. Velvety to the touch, the foliage of heart-shaped, toothed, and pointed leaves, 3-4 in. long (7-10 cm), is covered by soft, dense hairs. Native to fresh and brackish marshes of the southern and eastern United States, it can be found growing along stream banks, lake edges, wet ditches, marshes, and flooded fields. Best grown in natural landscapes, native plant gardens or wetland gardens.

Vigorous and robust, Hibiscus moscheutos (Hardy Hibiscus) is a tall, shrubby, woody-based perennial boasting huge hollyhock-like flowers, up to 8 in. across (20 cm), with spreading petals in white, rose or pink, sometimes with a sharply contrasting red or burgundy eye. Each flower has a conspicuous, protruding, creamy-white to pale yellow staminal column. Blooming from midsummer to early fall, the blossoms last about 1-2 days, but new flowers open each day in rapid succession until late in the season. At the peak of bloom, a large plant can produce 20 or more blossoms per day. The flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators. 28 species of butterflies and moths use this plant as a caterpillar host plant. But even without these gorgeous blooms, this plant is worth growing for the handsome foliage of large, heart-shaped leaves, 4-10 in. in length (10-25 cm), with toothed margins and white-hairy undersides. Hibiscus moscheutos is a strikingly showy North American species that has been a favorite garden perennial for decades.