Rose mallows are large-blooming perennials, boasting enormous flowers with striking, fan-shaped petals. These native species and their cultivars add vibrant color, texture, and form to garden spaces, whether planted in the ground or containers. September is the perfect month to introduce these pollinator-attracting flowers to your garden. They range from compact to tall, and come in shades of red, pink, rose, and white.
Scarlet Rose Mallow
The Scarlet Rose Mallow, also known as the Texas Star Hibiscus, features large scarlet blooms with five broad petals that swirl around a central column of showy stamens. The petals are sharply defined and pointed, creating a striking appearance.
Texas Star grows tall, with stalks lined with fine-textured leaves. Its foliage is a rich green with deeply serrated, palmate leaves. For a white-flowering variety, consider the ‘Swamp Angel,’ which has pure white flowers and is a hummingbird favorite.
This mallow thrives in wet areas such as roadside ditches and marshes but can adapt to both wet and dry conditions. It withstands cold temperatures down to zone 5 when insulated well. Leave the fading stems in place as the plant goes dormant for added winter protection.
‘Midnight Marvel’
A standout among mallow varieties, ‘Midnight Marvel’ features deep crimson blooms that contrast beautifully against dark foliage. The black-red buds open into massive, eight to ten-inch red flowers with yellow stamens. The maple-shaped leaves vary in color from violet to olive green and can grow nearly a foot long.
This variety has a compact, mounding habit with excellent branching, and the buds cover the stems for an abundance of blooms. Its dark foliage color intensifies in full sun, and the fall brings a vivid orange hue.
‘All Eyes on Me’
‘All Eyes on Me’ features delicate, pale pink petals with cerise red centers. The petals overlap heavily, giving the plant a full, lush appearance. Simultaneous pink buds and eight-inch blooms emerge from top to bottom on the plant’s dark green foliage.
As part of the Summerific® series, this variety is full of energy, with a robust, rounded habit. It thrives in zone 4 and is a vigorous grower.
‘Lord Baltimore’
A classic variety since 1955, ‘Lord Baltimore’ is known for its stately, upright growth and 10-inch-wide crimson blooms with slightly ruffled, satiny petals. These large, conical blooms open from maroon buds and are complemented by deeply lobed, serrated dark green leaves.
With woody stems at the base, this tall, branching plant grows up to two to three feet wide, making it a striking centerpiece in the garden.
‘Cookies and Cream’
This eye-catching variety showcases crisp white blooms against dark purple-black leaves. Even before flowering, the contrast between the foliage and other garden plants creates visual interest. The slightly cupped white flowers reach six to seven inches across, and the petals have a soft blush on their reverse sides, adding subtle beauty even at the bud stage.
The dwarf nature of ‘Cookies and Cream’ makes it ideal for small spaces. It blooms early in the season and continues producing flowers for an extended period. This variety is hardy to zone 4 and, like other dark-leaved mallows, develops richer foliage color with more sun exposure.
‘Lilac Crush’
‘Lilac Crush,’ another member of the Summerific® series, introduces a unique lavender-blue hue to rose mallows. The thick, eight-inch petals encircle a scarlet eye and yellow stamens, making this variety stand out in the garden.
The upright, columnar plants feature sturdy branches and bright green maple-shaped leaves. ‘Lilac Crush’ can survive winters in zone 4 when well insulated and shows cooler blue tones during lower summer temperatures.
Swamp Mallow
Swamp hibiscus, native to North America, grows naturally along streambanks, in moist woodlands, and in marshes across the eastern U.S. Known for its vigor and sturdy growth, H. moscheutos thrives in low-lying, wet areas and produces four to six-inch white and pink flowers from July to September.
Each bloom has a deep reddish-purple throat with prominent stamens, and at its peak, the plant can produce as many as 20 flowers per day. This species grows best in moist, organically rich soil and has seeds that float on water, aiding in natural dispersal.
‘Cherry Choco Latte’
This rich hybrid boasts large, eight to nine-inch flowers with petals that weave together shades of pink and white. Deep pink veins radiate from a vivid fuchsia center, creating a striking visual effect.
The flowers sit beautifully against dark purple-bronze foliage, making ‘Cherry Choco Latte’ a standout. Its compact size allows it to fit easily in various garden spaces, not just the back border.
It also improves upon the flower form, habit, and foliage color of its predecessor, ‘Cherry Cheesecake,’ another pink and white favorite. This Summerific® variety is hardy to zone 4.
‘Disco Belle Rosy Red’
This striking variety features velvety, pink-red flowers on a dwarf plant, making it ideal for small spaces and containers. With a glowing rose center and creamy yellow stamens, the blooms are edged in deep ruby red.
The ‘Disco Belle Pink’ variety offers bubblegum-colored blooms that fade to white, while another in the Disco series presents pure white flowers with a cerise center. The series thrives in zone 4.
‘Halberdleaf’
Hibiscus laevis, or halberdleaf, is a native species with erect green stems and pink or white flowers. It grows naturally in southeastern Canada and throughout the eastern and central U.S.
This species is perfect for pollinator gardens, wetland margins, or moist woodlands and serves as a host plant for the gray hairstreak butterfly and straight-lined mallow moths.
Its fresh green leaves are three-lobed with serrated edges. Halberdleaf propagates through seed, while hybrids like this are propagated vegetatively to replicate the parent plant. It is cold-hardy to zone 4.
‘Ballet Slippers’
‘Ballet Slippers’ features delicate white petals with lilac-pink accents, fanning out around a vibrant red throat. The petals overlap heavily, forming a pinwheel-like display of white and blush.
This hybrid has broad, light green leaves with serrated edges and an upright, well-branched habit, producing multiple buds along its stems. It is both beautiful and prolific.
‘Luna Red’
The ‘Luna’ series is known for its dinner plate-sized flowers on compact plants, and ‘Luna Red’ is no exception. Its thick, textured petals are a deep red, making a bold statement in any garden.
The plants are densely branched, with broad, olive-green leaves. Other colors in the ‘Luna’ series include rose, white, pink, and pink swirl, all featuring giant blooms that add a tropical touch. The series thrives in zone 4 and delivers prolific buds.
‘Edge of Night’
‘Edge of Night’ is a dramatic hybrid with onyx-colored foliage that contrasts beautifully with cotton-candy pink petals. The eight-inch flowers have a sculptural quality, with overlapping petals and dark red-pink veining for a shadowy, dimensional effect.
Bright green calyxes remain after the flowers fade, creating an intriguing mix of light and dark contrasts. As one of the darkest-leaved hibiscus hybrids, ‘Edge of Night’ shines best in full sun, where its bold colors come to life.
‘Mocha Moon’
‘Mocha Moon’ offers pure white flowers with crimson centers that resemble painted cups. The leathery maple-shaped foliage comes in shades of bronze and mahogany, adding to its appeal.
This variety provides a sophisticated look, pairing well with its dark-leaved counterparts.
