Hibiscus syriacus Cocktail - Rose of Sharon

Hibiscus syriacus Hibisa® Cocktail is a variety of rose of Sharon distinguished by its giant flowers. Its large corollas display a lovely pale pink around a deep red centre, and the show renews itself daily from summer to autumn. This is an easy-going bush with moderate growth, thriving equally well in the ground or in a large pot on the patio or balcony.

Belonging to the Malvaceae family, Hibiscus syriacus is commonly known as rose of Sharon, Syrian ketmia, or shrub althea. It is a deciduous bush native to East Asia, particularly China and Taiwan. Introduced to Europe via Syria, it is now widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. Hybridised with its cousin Hibiscus paramutabilis, it produces cultivars bearing very large flowers.

The Hibisa® Cocktail cultivar is part of the Hibisa® series, developed for its ease of cultivation, impressive flower diameter, and well-contrasted colours. The foliage of Hibiscus in the Hibisa® series (including the cultivars 'Cocktail', 'Blanco', 'Rosada', and 'Sangria') exhibits particular morphological characteristics. The leaves, arranged alternately on the stems, are generally single but deeply lobed and finely toothed, contrasting with the more moderately divided foliage of classic Hibiscus syriacus. Each leaf consists of 3 to 5 deep lobes, with distinctly wavy or crinkled margins, giving an almost palmate appearance to the foliage. The leaf dimensions vary between 5 and 12 cm in length and approximately 4 to 10 cm in width. Their texture is slightly leathery, and their bright green to dark green colour highlights the large flowers. This foliage is deciduous, falling in autumn and reforming in spring, often late in the season, as with all syriacus varieties.

This bush has an upright habit, with erect branches forming a vase-shaped silhouette. This variety eventually reaches around 2.5 m in height and 1.5 m in width in the ground, while in a pot, its size is generally more compact, around 1.5 m. The flowers, solitary in the leaf axils, measure between 16 and 20 cm in diameter. They consist of five petals, individual or slightly fused at the base, forming a funnel-shaped corolla. Their pale pink is accentuated by a deep red centre. At the centre, the stamens are fused into a long tube surrounding the style. Flowering extends from July to October; the flowers are ephemeral but continuously renewed. Pollination is mainly carried out by insects. The stems of this bush are slender and grey, with white lenticels and visible foliar scars. The root system is taprooted, consisting of a deep main root and lateral roots extending horizontally to 1.2 m. It provides good stability to the plant and some drought resistance.

The exotic and highly colourful Hibiscus Hibisa® Cocktail can be used as a standalone specimen, in a flowering border, a mixed hedge, or a large pot on the patio. Its spectacular flowering pairs well with ornamental grasses like Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’, to play with textural contrasts. Create a 'tropical garden' by combining it with Cannas with exuberant foliage and pink flowers ('Angèle Martin') or red flowers ('Red Wine'). And for an enhanced exotic touch, pair it with another summer-flowering bush like Lagerstroemia indica ‘Dynamite’.