Hibiscus trionum – Paurangi
Hibiscus trionum produces the largest individual flower of all plants considered native in New Zealand. (see last Paragraph).
There are three NZ species of Hibiscus – Hibiscus trionum, Hibiscus richardsonii and Hibiscus diversifolius ssp diversifolius and they grow in the north of NZ.
Luckily H. trionum can be treated as an annual and it does grow nicely in many other places this way.
This very showy light lemon/yellow flowers with a maroon/purple/black blotch at the base of each petal forming a neat dark circle of colour. As the petals mature a slight purplish tine appears.
A form without the dark centre blotch has been seen and photographed. (See Pic below)
Treated as an annual each plant will produce a number of flowers however with a naturalised group there will always be a number of flowers fully out in mid to late summer making an exciting and extravagant show.
Scattering seed in a border and letting them grow at random also makes a fine show. It is hardy and tolerates dry conditions where it can grow up to 200mm high but in good soil has been recorded growing to 600mm high.
The leaves are 3 to 5 lobed often with quite hard hairs on the stem and leaf especially in full sun.
After flowering the seed capsules become quite ornamental.
Having said this is a NZ native it is now regarded as an introduced species as it is not known anywhere else in the Pacific. It is recorded in some places in eastern Australia. It is found widely in the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean) where it is most likely to have originated. How it got to NZ is anyones guess.
Check out Hibiscus diversifolius var diversifolius which is the other NZ Hibiscus.
There are three NZ species of Hibiscus – Hibiscus trionum, Hibiscus richardsonii and Hibiscus diversifolius ssp diversifolius and they grow in the north of NZ.
Luckily H. trionum can be treated as an annual and it does grow nicely in many other places this way.
This very showy light lemon/yellow flowers with a maroon/purple/black blotch at the base of each petal forming a neat dark circle of colour. As the petals mature a slight purplish tine appears.
A form without the dark centre blotch has been seen and photographed. (See Pic below)
Treated as an annual each plant will produce a number of flowers however with a naturalised group there will always be a number of flowers fully out in mid to late summer making an exciting and extravagant show.
Scattering seed in a border and letting them grow at random also makes a fine show. It is hardy and tolerates dry conditions where it can grow up to 200mm high but in good soil has been recorded growing to 600mm high.
The leaves are 3 to 5 lobed often with quite hard hairs on the stem and leaf especially in full sun.
After flowering the seed capsules become quite ornamental.
Having said this is a NZ native it is now regarded as an introduced species as it is not known anywhere else in the Pacific. It is recorded in some places in eastern Australia. It is found widely in the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean) where it is most likely to have originated. How it got to NZ is anyones guess.
Check out Hibiscus diversifolius var diversifolius which is the other NZ Hibiscus.