Is Hibiscus syriacus a woody plant? A complete guide to Hibiscus syriacus

Other names for Hibiscus syriacus

Cotton rose, jingtiao, flower that opens in the morning and falls at dusk, morning glory

Growth habits of Hibiscus syriacus

Hibiscus syriacus is highly adaptable to the environment, relatively tolerant of dry and poor land, and not strict about soil requirements. It prefers a relatively warm and humid climate. It is slightly shade-tolerant, moisture-tolerant, pruning-tolerant, heat-tolerant, cold-tolerant, and warmth-loving. However, when cultivated in northern regions, it needs protective overwintering. It likes moisture but is also drought-tolerant, is not strict about soil requirements, and can even grow in heavy clay. It has strong suckering ability.

Variety classification of Hibiscus syriacus

Common varieties of Hibiscus syriacus flowers include: Korean series; white single-center series; red single-center series; purple single-center series; blue single-center series; Asda series and Seaside series.

Common variants include:

1. Double white Hibiscus syriacus. The white petals have thin purplish-red lines and small spots, and the flowers are double.

2. Glass double Hibiscus syriacus. The branches are straight, the flowers are double, and the color is sky blue.

3. Purplish-red double Hibiscus syriacus. The petals are purplish-red or tinged with white, and the flowers are double.

4. Variegated-leaf Hibiscus syriacus. The leaves bear white spots, and the flowers are purple and double.

Uses of Hibiscus syriacus

1. Ornamental use. Hibiscus syriacus blooms in summer and autumn, has a very long flowering period, and has many variants and cultivars in flower colors and flower forms, making it an excellent garden flowering tree species. It is often used as hedge and foundation planting material, suitable for group planting on lawns, roadsides or forest edges, and can also be used as a green hedge or planted together with other flowering trees and shrubs. Because its branches are soft and tolerant of pruning, it can be shaped into stump bonsai or potted plants. At the same time, it also has strong resistance, making it an excellent tree species for greening factories and mines.

2. Medicinal value. Hibiscus syriacus flowers contain saponarin, a flavonoid glycoside, and also contain isovitexin. In addition, they contain saponins and mucilage. The roots contain tannins and mucilage. The seeds contain fatty oil. Hibiscus syriacus flowers clear heat and cool blood, detoxify and reduce swelling. They are used to treat dysentery, hemorrhoid bleeding, leukorrhea, boils and carbuncles, and scalds. The roots clear heat and detoxify, promote diuresis and reduce swelling, and relieve cough. They are used to treat cough, lung abscess, intestinal abscess, hemorrhoid swelling and pain, leukorrhea, and scabies. The root bark and stem bark can clear heat and drain dampness, kill parasites and relieve itching. They are used to treat dysentery, prolapsed liver, scrotal eczema, athlete's foot, and so on. The fruit is called "Tiantianzi" and can clear the lungs and resolve phlegm, detoxify and relieve pain. It is used to treat phlegm wheezing and cough, neurotic headache, and impetigo.

Washing the face with water in which Hibiscus syriacus flowers have been boiled can beautify the complexion; washing the hair with leaf juice can treat scalp ringworm, make hair easier to comb, nourish beautiful hair, make hair naturally black and glossy, and remove dandruff. Hibiscus syriacus is also a natural detoxifier. If toxic substances in the air, such as sulfur dioxide, reach one part in one hundred thousand, people cannot work for long periods; when its concentration reaches four parts in ten thousand, people will die of poisoning. However, some plants have the ability to detoxify themselves, decomposing toxic substances in their bodies and converting them into non-toxic substances. Hibiscus syriacus is one of them and is called a "natural detoxifier".

3. Edible value. In the Tingzhou area of Fujian, fried Hibiscus syriacus flowers are made by mixing Hibiscus syriacus flowers with noodles and then putting them in an oil pan; the flower shape can still be vaguely seen, and the color, aroma, and taste are all complete. They are called "mianhua" and are a delicacy at flower banquets; the famous Hibiscus syriacus tofu soup in Huizhou, Anhui, is made by cooking Hibiscus syriacus flowers together with tofu. It has the fragrance of flowers, and the tofu is fresh and tender, fragrant and smooth, and delicious. Hibiscus syriacus flowers are simple to prepare as a dish and can be served cold, stir-fried, or made into soup. Their texture is crisp and tender, smooth and delicious, with a delicate fragrance. They can moisten dryness and remove damp-heat, and are a natural health food.

Flower language of Hibiscus syriacus

Tenacity, eternal beauty, gentle persistence.

Hibiscus syriacus flowers open in the morning and fall at dusk, but each withering is for the sake of an even more splendid bloom next time. It is like the sun constantly setting and rising again, like spring passing and autumn coming as the four seasons turn, yet life goes on endlessly. It is even more like loving someone: there will be low tides, and there will be disturbances, but people who understand love will still persist gently. Because they understand that ups and downs are unavoidable, but nothing will make them waver in their original choice; the faith of love remains eternal and unchanging. Tenacity, eternal beauty.

Hibiscus syriacus flowers have strong vitality. The flower symbolizes a character that remains firm in purpose after enduring hardships, and also symbolizes prosperity, and symbolizes being nostalgic and valuing loyalty and affection.