Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Our mystery plant

My mom had a hibiscus plant that she thought had died. When she was about to throw it out, it started sprouting a new base, if you will. So, she gave it to us to plant in our yard. As it grew, it looked more and more like a weed and was definitely growing like one! It was definitely not the same plant that had been in the pot a year before! It grew from four inches to about four and a half feet in three weeks.
So, we decided to talk to a local garden center about what it might be. After being told it was a mulberry tree and needed to be pulled up, we decided that was the end. But another guy told us it was a Rose of Sharon. Not knowing what to think, we went straight to the resident horticulturist. After going home and emailing him pics of the plant, this is what he said...
"This is a hibiscus native to Argentina and Brazil and found growing wild elsewhere in the tropical americas but seldom grown out of its range except by collectors. It’s botanical name is Hibiscus cisplatinus. The common Spanish names for it are Rosa de Agua or Rosa de Rio since it is partial to watery places."
He thinks that it was a random seed that happened to be in the pot from when it first was shipped here and that this particular plant grew once the other one died! We were so excited to finally know what it was and now, we have the most beautiful flowers. People in our neighborhood actually stop during their walks to look at them! Take a look!

Flowers as big as my hand!!

(I know, it doesn't take much to get us excited..) :)




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The "Goldstein Botanical Gardens" are such a pleasure to frequent, except for the $10 covercharge at the door!