Hibiscus mutabilis

Native to southern China and Taiwan, this large shrub or small tree can reach about sixteen feet tall. Its broad leaves have three to seven shallow lobes and hairy undersides. Large flowers open white or pale pink, then deepen through pink to red before fading. Flowers of different ages can give a single plant several colors at once. Both single- and double-flowered garden forms are grown. It is cultivated as an ornamental and can be propagated by stem cuttings. Photographed in the Valley of Cauca, Colombia.