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Hibiscus -  Texas Star
Hibiscus -  Texas Star
Seed Packet

Hibiscus - Texas Star

Hibiscus coccineus
Planted by George Washington and admired as "a most elegant flowering plant," Texas Star has startlingly large luminous bright red flowers. This native will attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, great in containers on the patio or in the back border.
SKU #S448
$5.00
Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
13
Lifecycle
Annual; tender perennial
Perennial Hardiness Zone
6,
7,
8,
9
Annual Hardiness
Tender Annual
Mature Size
3-6' h x 3' w
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained
Season
Summer to fall
Color
Stars of scarlet crimson
Features
Great for containers
Heat or Drought Tolerant
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Bees
Attracts Hummingbirds
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Scarify by chipping or filing seed and then soak in warm water for about an hour. Surface sow.
Sprout Time:
7-21 days
Seed To Bloom:
14-16 weeks
Starting Indoors:
Start in pots 8 weeks before the last spring frost. Keep at about 70-80°F. Sterile germinating mix to prevent fungal problems.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow after last spring frost in warmer areas (zones 7+).
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
2 weeks after last springtime frost.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Texas star satisfies the hunger for a lavish, tropical look in northern gardens and is reliably perennial south of zone 6. A feast for the eyes, the 6" across flowers are showy and free-blooming in moist soils in full sun. Lovely with white swamp milkweed and cardinal flowers in rain gardens or alongside a stream or pond. It can be grown in a large tub in a warm, sheltered site in cooler summer regions. Overwinter dormant indoors in a cool basement.
Final Spacing:
3-4'
Water Requirements:
Medium Water Use
Watering Details:
Keep moist
Soil pH:
Prefers neutral but will tolerate slightly acidic to slightly alkaline
Fertilizer:
Mix in about 2" of compost prior to planting, and mix in about an inch each spring if growing as a perennial.
Diseases & Pests:
If aphids are a problem, hose down the plants daily until the insects are no longer present.