Hibiscus

Hibiscus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Hibiscus is also a name for a cocktail

Hibiscus flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Division:Magnoliophyta
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Malvales
Family:Malvaceae
Genus:Hibiscus

Hibiscus or Rosemallow is a large genus of about 200-220 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, and woody shrubs and small trees. The leaves are alternate, simple, ovate to lanceolate, often with a toothed or lobed margin. The flowers are large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five petals, ranging from white to pink, red, purple or yellow, and from 4-15 cm broad. The fruit is a dry five-lobed capsule, containing several seeds in each lobe, which are released when the capsule splits open at maturity.

Many of these species are grown for their showy flowers and many are used as landscape shrubs. Hibiscus syriacus (Mugunghwa or "Rose of Sharon") is the national flower of South Korea, while Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Bunga Raya or "Chinese hibiscus") is the national flower of Malaysia. The ma‘o hau hele (Hibiscus brackenridgei) is the state flower of Hawai‘i.
In temperate zones, probably the most commonly grown ornamental species is Hibiscus syriacus, the common garden Hibiscus, also known in some areas as the "Rose of Althea" or "Rose of Sharon" (but not to be confused with the unrelated Hypericum calycinum, also called "Rose of Sharon"). In tropical and subtropical areas, the Chinese hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis), with its many showy hybrids, is the most popular hibiscus.

About 200-220 species are known, including:
Hibiscus acetosella
Hibiscus arnottianus - Koki'o
Hibiscus brackenridgei - Ma'o hau hele
Hibiscus calyphyllus
Hibiscus cameronii
Hibiscus cannabinus - Kenaf
Hibiscus cisplatinus
Hibiscus clayi - Hawaiian hibiscus (red)
Hibiscus coccineus
Hibiscus diversifolius
Hibiscus elatus
Hibiscus furcellatus - 'Akiohala
Hibiscus fuscus
Hibiscus grandiflorus
Hibiscus hamabo
Hibiscus hastatus
Hibiscus heterophyllus
Hibiscus indicus
Hibiscus kokio - Koki'o 'ula
Hibiscus laevis - Halberd-leaved rosemallow
Hibiscus lasiocarpos
Hibiscus lavaterioides
Hibiscus ludwigii
Hibiscus macrophyllus
Hibiscus militaris - Syn. of Hibiscus laevis
Hibiscus moscheutos - Common rosemallow
Hibiscus mutabilis - Cotton rosemallow
Hibiscus paramutabilis
Hibiscus pedunculatus
Hibiscus platanifolius
Hibiscus radiatus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis - Chinese hibiscus
Hibiscus sabdariffa - Bissap or Omutete or Sorrel
Hibiscus schizopetalus
Hibiscus scottii
Hibiscus sinosyriacus
Hibiscus syriacus - Hibiscus
Hibiscus tiliaceus - Hau
Hibiscus trionum - Flower-of-an-Hour
Hibiscus waimeae - Koki'o ke'oke'o

Cultivation and uses
One species of Hibiscus, known as Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper making. Another, Bissap (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable and to make herbal teas and jams (especially in the Caribbean).
Extracts of some hibiscus species are claimed to have health benefits, including prevention of Constipation, Bladder infections and Nausea. The studies that yielded these results are debated. An unspecified hibiscus plant is used to make a herbal tea, typically blended with rosehip. Dried Hibiscus petals are used to make a Mexican drink called "Jamaica".

The City of Hibiscus is another name for the city of Chengdu in China.
Interestingly, some varieties such as "Texas Star" look very similar to Marijuana at a glance. In one instance this has led to a police raid!

More links on Hibiscus
Pictures and History of Hibiscus
Beautiful Pictures of Hibiscus