Hibiscus coccineus × moscheutos

A garden hybrid between two North American rose mallows, this perennial herb belongs to a group bred for large, colorful flowers and winter hardiness. Its stems die back in cold weather, and fresh shoots emerge from the persistent clump, often relatively late in spring. The parent species grow in wetlands and along stream margins, and their hybrids flourish in sunny sites with fertile, moist soil. Individual flowers are short-lived, but successive buds extend flowering through summer. Photographed in Florida.