Halberd-Leaved Rose Mallow

This very large perennial—up to 6'—really takes off in the heat of the summer, covered with pink and white 6" blooms with dark red centers for months on end. Halberd-Leaf Rose Mallow loves a wet sunny place to grow but is adaptable to all types of soil. Our seed was collected by historian Joel Fry near the Tensaw River where he saw the plant growing in a bald cypress swamp in 2007. It is native to swamps in eastern and central North America. Seed packets of this plant from 1800 were found in the Woodlands mansion, just upriver from Bartram's Garden where it has been offered for sale as early as 1807 under the name Hibiscus militaris.

Photo by Potomac Palms (Creative Commons).

Also known as: Halberdleaf Rosemallow, Halberdleaf Hibiscus, Scarlet Rose Mallow, Halberd-leaved Hibiscus, Halberd-leaved Rose-mallow

Seeds per pack: 20-25

Germination rate: 2% (total viability: 62%) on 09/11/2023 (read more about viability)

Planting / harvesting notes

Give seeds around a 90 day cold period in a well-marked plastic baggy with a
little moist peat or sand in the fridge at about 40 degrees and then shift to pots in a warm bright place. Or you can just sow the seeds in the ground or in pots outdoors in the fall. They will readily sprout when the weather warms up to the seventies.

Seed keeping notes

(Coming soon!)