Species · genus Hibiscus · Malvaceae

Smooth Rose-mallow

Hibiscus laevis All.

Also known as: Halberd-leaved Rose-mallow · Military Hibiscus · Scarlet Rose-mallow · Halberd-leaf Rose-mallow · Halberdleaf Rosemallow

Growth habit

perennial or helophyte

Reference · H. laevis

Cultivars of H. laevis

The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.

No named cultivars catalogued under H. laevis yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.

Guide

The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.

Hibiscus laevis is a perennial of the mallow family and a helophyte — a marsh plant rooted in saturated ground at the water's edge. It wants steady moisture and full sun, so keep the mix consistently damp and water when the top inch begins to dry; this is one of the few plants that tolerates wet feet rather than rotting. Give it the brightest spot you have, as it flowers poorly in shade.

Care recipe

The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.

Care notes are early — not yet verified

Light: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Water: ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 2-5d)
Humidity: ai:claude-opus-4-8
Soil: ai:claude-fable-5
Care: ai:claude-fable-5

Light

Direct sun

Water

≈ every 5 days

Humidity

Medium

Temperature

13–32 °C

Soil mix

Rich, moisture-retentive mix kept consistently damp

Propagation

Seed or stem cuttings

Fertilizing

Regular balanced feed every 2-4 weeks while growing

Growth rate

Fast

Flowering

Pale pink to white blooms with ample light and moisture

ToxicityAuthoritative · species

Not yet documented

This is where toxicity lives — every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.

Reference images

Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.

No reference gallery yet

A few clear photos — habit, a mature leaf, a flower if it blooms — would give this page its eyes.

Add images

Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 2-5d) · ai:claude-fable-5

Kept true by its growers

Every fact here carries its source. Grow Smooth Rose-mallow yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — is exactly what keeps this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.