Unknown ecotype - grown from rose-red flowered garden specimens
Duration: Perennial
Habit: Upright, clump-forming, colonizing by seed
Size: 3 to 6 feet tall; 2 to 4 feet wide
Flowering Time: July to September
Bloom Color: Light pink to rose-red, with a deep red or maroon center
Habitat: Floodplains, streambanks, marsh edges, ditches, wet meadows
Moisture: Moist to wet; tolerates seasonal flooding
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soils: Loamy, silty, or clay; prefers rich, moist soils but adaptable
Uses: Rain gardens, wetland restoration, pollinator gardens, pond or stream edges, naturalized plantings
Hibiscus laevis (Halberd-leaf rosemallow)
Hibiscus laevis is commonly called the Halberd-leaf Rosemallow for its distinctive halberd-shaped leaves—broad with pointed side lobes. This wetland species is a tall, showy native hibiscus known for its large, five-petaled flowers in shades of light pink to rose-red accented with a deeper red center.
Blooming in midsummer, the blossoms open for a single day but are produced in succession for many weeks, attracting attention in wetlands and sunny moist garden settings. This species thrives in wet soils along streams, ponds, and floodplains but also adapts to rain gardens and consistently moist garden beds.
Halberd-leaf rosemallow is a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, which visit its large flowers for nectar and pollen. It is also a host plant for several moth species, including the Common Checkered Skipper (Burnsius communis) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), whose larvae feed on its foliage. The specialist bee, Ptilothrix bombiformis, uses the Hibiscus genus as a pollen source to feed its larvae
Its seeds may provide food for waterfowl and small mammals, while its dense stems offer cover in wetland habitats. With its striking blooms, wildlife value, and ability to thrive in moist soils, Hibiscus laevis is both a showpiece ornamental and an ecologically important species for wetland restoration and native plantings.