Hibiscus x rosa-sinensis Double Flowers

Developed in cultivation in the South Pacific, these double-flowered hybrids are evergreen shrubs derived from Hibiscus cooperi and Hibiscus kaute. Double-flowered cultivars have additional petals that give the blooms a layered form, with colors including red, pink, orange, yellow and white. These ornamental hybrids are grown widely in tropical and subtropical gardens, as hedges and in containers. Individual flowers generally last one or two days, while plants can continue producing blooms over an extended period. Stem cuttings are used to propagate cultivated forms. Photographed in Colombia.