Choosing planting

Double-flowered hibiscus: the most beautiful varieties

To flower your garden from summer to autumn

Contents

Modified the 7 January 2026 by Angélique 4 min. Difficulty: Beginner

Exotic long-flowering bushes, hibiscus or altheas are highly decorative plants, especially when in flower from July to October. The flowers display a whole range of colours from white to purple, including mauve, pink, and red. They are ephemeral and last only a day, but are quickly replaced by new flowers. They bloom in large corollas, sometimes crumpled, on a green deciduous foliage in winter. In a hedge, as a standalone on a lawn, or in a border, hibiscus make a striking impression. They reach heights of between 1.5 metres and 3 metres. For the most part very hardy, hibiscus are easy to grow, preferably in full sun, but they also tolerate partial shade. They should be planted in rich, cool, well-drained, neutral soil. In regions with hot summers, double-flowered hibiscus thrive particularly well. Discover our selection of the most beautiful varieties of double-flowered hibiscus.

Difficulty

Hibiscus syriacus 'French Cabaret Pastel': an early pink flowering

Hibiscus syriacus ‘French Cabaret Pastel’ has the unique feature of flowering slightly earlier than its counterparts. From June to September, it bears slightly crumpled white-pink flowers speckled with purplish pink against medium green foliage. Hardy and easy to grow, it prefers sunny locations, sheltered from the wind. Plant it in soil that remains cool, well-drained, and rich. It grows slowly and can reach a height of 2 metres at ripeness with a spread of 1.20 metres.

The Hibiscus syriacus ‘French Cabaret Pastel’ can be inserted into a hedge, planted as a specimen, or in a pot. If you enjoy flowering hedges, you can place it alongside other Hibiscus such as Hibiscus syriacus ‘Woodbridge’ and Hibiscus ‘Lavender Chiffon’ to create a privacy screen and an exotic, romantic atmosphere in your garden.

Hibiscus French Cabaret Pastel

Hibiscus syriacus 'White Chiffon': an immaculate whiteness

Hibiscus syriacus ‘White Chiffon’ is a reliable choice. This bush reaches a height of 2 metres and a spread of 1 metre at ripeness, offering immaculate, highly double white flowers from July to September. This exotic plant is easy to grow in full sun and is also very hardy.

Its pure white colour brightens up gardens or balconies. It pairs well with plants that have mauve flowers, such as Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Chiffon’, and pink varieties like ‘Magenta Chiffon’. The combination of pastel colours creates a romantic atmosphere that you can enhance by placing climbing plants such as a wisteria or a clematis.

Hibiscus White Chiffon

Hibiscus syriacus 'Freedom': a purple flowering

Another sure bet, the Hibiscus syriacus ‘Freedom’ boasts a purple flowering, which is rare among Hibiscus. Its petals are double and crinkled, and the flowers grow solitary or in pairs, from July to October. Slow-growing, it has a compact habit and reaches 2 metres in height and 1.5 metres in width at ripeness. Hardy, it thrives in full sun.

To enjoy a long flowering period, pair the Hibiscus syriacus ‘Freedom’ with other bushes that offer staggered flowering in spring and winter. You can combine it with a Mexican Orange Blossom Choisya ‘Aztec Pearl’ with evergreen foliage and fragrant white flowers that appear in May and June. For even earlier flowering, consider the Japanese Quince ‘Clémentine’, which will delight you with its lovely dark orange flowers in March and April. And for winter flowering, you can plant a fragrant winter honeysuckle.

Hibiscus Freedom

Hibiscus syriacus 'Summer Ruffle': a variegated and vibrant foliage

Hibiscus sometimes offers very decorative foliage as well. This is the case with Hibiscus syriacus ‘Summer Ruffle’, which features bright variegated foliage in bluish grey-green, cream, and white. The leaves display a mix of different tones from one to another. Between July and October, it is adorned with semi-double flowers in pastel mauve pink, enhanced by a red throat and a heart of crinkled petals. Small in size, it has a rounded habit. It grows up to 1 metre tall and spreads 80 cm wide, making it a perfect bush to grow in a small garden or in a pot on a balcony.

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Summer Ruffle’ can be paired with a dwarf buddleia like Buddleia ‘Lilac Chip’, which will attract butterflies with its clusters of mauve flowers, or with a red bush sage, such as Salvia microphylla ‘Grahamii’, which will add lightness to the display.

Hibiscus Summer Ruffle

Hibiscus syriacus 'Starburst Chiffon': elegant semi-double flowers

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Starburst Chiffon’ adds a touch of elegance to a garden with its pale pink semi-double flowers veined with carmine. Their small crinkled centre adds a romantic and sophisticated touch. The flowers are large, measuring 9 cm in diameter. The foliage is dark green and glossy. The bush has a harmonious habit, reaching 2 metres high and 1.25 metres wide at ripeness. Its growth is slow, and it has abundant flowering from July to September. It can be planted in a garden or grown in a pot.

The highly graphic flower pattern makes it a good candidate for a contemporary style garden. It can be placed in the background of a flowerbed and accompanied in the foreground by daylilies ‘Crimson Pirate’.

Hibiscus Starburst Chiffon