Hibiscus brachysiphonius
Family: Malvaceae
What it is like
A low lying herb. It grows up to 60 cm high and spreads 30-100 cm wide. It has a woody taproot. The branches can be spreading or erect. The leaves are 1-2.7 cm long by 1-2.7 cm wide. They are broadly oval. Often the leaves have 3 lobes. The leaf stalks are 1-3 cm long. They are dark green and have coarse irregular teeth along the edge. The flowers are 3-4 cm across. They are bright pink. They occur singly in the axils of leaves. The flower stalks are 12 cm long. The fruit is a capsule 1-1.3 cm long by 0.9-1.2 cm wide. They are round and smooth. The seeds are hairy.
There are about 220 Hibiscus species.
Where it is found
It grows in inland Australia usually on heavy clay soils. Plants die back to the rootstock in dry periods. It needs well drained soils. It can tolerate some frost.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Root
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings.