Hibiscus moscheutos Midnight Marvel - Swamp Rose Mallow

The 'Midnight Marvel' Hibiscus moscheutos is a spectacularly hardy perennial for wet terrain. From July to September, it produces huge scarlet flowers, reaching up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in diameter. The lush purple and serrated foliage will bring a touch of exoticism to your borders, either by a pond in a rich substrate, or in a large pot kept constantly moist, in full sun.

The marsh hibiscus belongs to the Malvaceae family.If we are familiar with shrubby hibiscus, from the same family and frequently planted in our gardens, we less often come across Hibiscus moscheutos (formerly H. palustris). This giant perennial, also known as Marsh Mallow, is native to the marshy areas of the Eastern United States and can grow stems over 2 metres (6 feet 7 inches) tall. In our climate it generally remains more modest and emerges quite late in spring, between April and May. Its growth is then rapid: in a few weeks, it forms a luxuriant shrub of upright stems, adorned with large, pointed lobed leaves, from a thick base. From the middle of summer until early autumn, huge flowers appear, with wide open cups and large, slightly crumpled petals. In the centre, a long tube formed by the fused stamens adds a lot of grace to the flower. In autumn, the foliage also takes on beautiful golden colours, then the plant disappears.

The 'Midnight Marvel' Hibiscus is a compact variety that forms a dense clump 1.20 to 1.50 m (3 ft 11 in to 4 ft 11 in) tall and wide. Beautiful buds of almost black red give rise to very large flowers, appearing between July and September and reaching 20 cm (7.9 in) in diameter. They are scarlet red, with golden stamens standing out on the heart. The foliage is also spectacular: cut like a maple leaf, the thick lamina is reddish purple, in perfect contrast to the flowers. This variety belongs to the Summerific series, obtained by Walter Gardens nurseries in the United States, which is characterised by a modest size and great floribundity.

The 'Midnight Marvel' Marsh Mallow is, as its name suggests, fond of moist soils. If the soil is rich and constantly moist, the plant will show vigorous growth. In dry or poor soil, it will give mediocre results. Additionally, it requires plenty of sun to express its full flowering potential, and this variety benefits even more from the colouring of its foliage. Despite its exotic appearance, it is hardy and will withstand temperatures down to -12, or even -15 °C without any problems. Undoubtedly, it is a perennial that has a lot of presence in the garden, and it should be placed judiciously: mix it with other giant plants to create a striking display for example Atropurpureum spotted Joe-Pye weed, Sikkim banana tree, Himalayan Arum, palmate rhubarb, or even the tree fern Dicksonia antarctica. If your soil is not moist enough, choose to grow it in a large container, which will give you very good results as long as the substrate does not dry out - you can then enjoy it on your terrace!