Cotton Tree, Beach Hibiscus, Country mallow, Sea hibiscus, Yellow mallow
Hibiscus tiliaceus

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A tree which keeps its leaves throughout the year. It is small and spreading. It grows to 5-9 m tall and spreads to 3-6 m across. The stem is erect and short. The bark is grey and smooth. The branches spread widely. The crown has an open texture. The leaves are light green. They can be round or heart-shaped. They are 12 cm long. They are densely hairy underneath. They have a short pointed tip. The flowers are yellow and have a deep pink/purple centre. They are 12 cm across. They have 5 overlapping petals. The flowers are in the axils of the upper leaves. The fruit is a hairy partly woody capsule. It is 2 cm across and brown and splits open when ripe. It contains several small kidney shaped seeds. There are same named varieties. The plant varies a lot.

There are about 300 Hibiscus species.

Where it is found

It grows in warm temperate regions. It can grow in the tropics and subtropics. It suits light soils in an open, sunny position. The soils are best to be well drained but moist. It is damaged by frost. It can tolerate drought and salt spray. It often grows naturally near the seashore. It grows along most tropical coasts in tidal forests. It will grow in soils with pH between 5.0 and 8.5. In Samoa it grows from sea level to 650 m altitude. It does not grow well on atolls. It grows on the edges of mangroves. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, American Samoa, Andamans, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Bougainville, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caribbean, Caroline Islands, Central Africa, Central America, China, Christmas Island, Chuuk, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Ecuador, Equatorial-Guinea, Eswatini, Fiji, French Polynesia, FSM, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Rotuma, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Tropical America, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, Yap, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Roots, flowers and young leaves can be eaten. They flowers can be dipped in batter and fried. The leaves are also fermented into a sauce. The bark, shoots and sap wood are recorded as eaten in New Caledonia. The slimy sap and bark are eaten. The stalks are sucked. The shoots are stripped of their bark and burnt then the ashes added to dished for flavour.

It tends to be a famine food eaten when other foods are in short supply.

Edible parts

Roots, flowers, leaves, bark, sap, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings. Seed remain viable after floating in sea water for several months.

It is a fast growing plant. Plants can be heavily pruned and will shoot again.

Its other names

Local names

Ai-fau, Attu parathi, Bade-luti, Baharu, Bamede, Bameo, Bane-bane, Bane, Baniah, Baro, Baru-baru, Baru, Bebane, Belapata, Bola, Bourao, Bup tra, Burao, Butsu raava, Chelwa, Coast Cottonwood, Coast hibiscus, Cottonwood, Cuan bast, Darah-darah, Dhiggaa, Emajagua, Epainta, Ermall, Etagogu, Fau, Fautu'u, Fou, Gaal', Hau, Huang jin, Kalau, Kali bang-bang, Kayu baru, Kilife, Langkubing, Lenya-shaw, Linden hibiscus, Lo, Mahoe, Majagua, Menoa, N'farande, Nirparathi, Nwohwea, Pago, Pah, Pauat, Paw-talay, Purau, Purundu, Safed chika, Sea Hibiscus, Tapai-tapai, Te kiaiai, Te rau, Thinban, Tra lam cheo, Unfarande, Vau ndamu, Vau, Vo, Vole, Wulolo, Yellow mallow tree, Ye-ngan-shaw

Synonyms

Hibiscus abutiloides; Hibiscus azanzae Roxb.; Hibiscus bracteosus DC.; Hibiscus celebicus Koord.; Hibiscus elatus Sw.; Hibiscus hastatus L.f.; Hibiscus similis Blume; Kydia calycina Roxb.; Pariti tiliaceum (L.) Britt. ex Britt & Millsp.; Paritium tiliaceum (L.) A. Juss. ex St Hil.; Talipariti tiliaceum (L.) Fryxell; Hibiscus tortuosus Roxb.;