The Hibiscus Family Tree

The Hibiscus Family Tree

Each year the hibiscus plants in our yard seem to be finished. Other flowers come and go and still, no hint of the hibiscus coming back. And then…

The leaves start to pop up from the seemingly non-fertile earth. And once they do, the plants are on their way to growing the most amazing blossoms!

The brittle, white stems from last year’s plants provided good roosts for the birds who came to drink at the bird bath in the winter months. They also had an artistic appeal as they reached out and up in their irregular formations. But now, I’m suddenly aware of a deeper picture. They seem to be embracing the upcoming growth, like the older generation supporting the younger ones coming into the family. There will come a time when the new flowers will burst forth and the brittle branches will snap off but the family connection remains.  

At this time, it is important to remember that we are part of a larger family connection. Yes, people are diverse in many ways but share our human heritage. And even when times seem bleak, let’s try to remember that like the hibiscus we can, we will, blossom again.

The Beginner’s Guide to Growing Hibiscus:

https://www.geraniumrozanne.com/beginners-guide-growing-hibiscus/

Inside and Outside

Inside and Outside

I have two pots of African violets sitting on my kitchen windowsill. Most of the time they just have fuzzy green leaves and no flowers but I like them anyway. This summer they started to bloom. Each little stem carried three or four beautiful flowers and more stems kept blooming. It has been a real treat for me to see every time I go to the sink and look up.

I also love the hibiscus plants outside my kitchen window. They have two blossoming times, one in the beginning of summer and the other at the season’s end. Their vibrant red flowers are riveting.

Today I looked at the African violets as I was pouring water into my teapot and was drawn to look outside at the hibiscus flowers. I gasped with pleasure. The inside flowers were beautiful. The outside flowers were beautiful. It made me suddenly aware of how beauty exists in both areas. We are amazing beings inside ourselves, full of intelligence and diversity. But we also are part of the outside world, interacting with what nature and other humans offer. If we can just remember that everything is part of the whole perhaps we can allow our inside and outside worlds to coexist in peace.

Yogi tea tag: “Be kind to others, but always be compassionate to yourself.”

Hibiscus Beauty

Hibiscus Beauty

I was out grocery shopping today at my local Trader Joe’s. As usual, the parking lot was crowded and the adjacent strip stores were also busy. As I approached my car, I noticed a hibiscus bush in full bloom alongside the parked cars. The brilliant white flowers were big and exuberant, stretching out past the bumpers, waving to the cars coming up the drive to the stores, almost defying the stop sign by growing bigger and fuller by the day.

I know that hibiscus plants are not native to the U.S. but the blossoms are so magnificent it is hard to discourage planting them. I have several at my house. They produce giant red flowers that make me stop to admire them every time I go outside. I actually enjoy the surprise of such elegance when I open my front door.

The hibiscus plant is a grand reminder that even in the most crowded environments, in places that seem to discourage nature, we can always find beauty if we look for it; a red maple at the curb of a city street, a lotus blooming in a polluted pond, a garden known as the High Line that was created on a stretch of unused railroad tracks in New York City. Who would expect such beauty there? In keeping ourselves open for what nature offers, we help ourselves to be open to beauty in other aspects of life, too. It is a meditation on the amazing experience of living.

Learn about hibiscus and see lots of varieties:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b557

Hibiscus Potential

 

Hibiscus Potential

The hibiscus flowers have been delighting us all summer. They are big, exuberant, brilliant red blossoms that cause comments by anyone who comes to our house. One plant greets visitors at our front door with a gracious floral welcome that is so prominent, it cannot be ignored.

There are seasons for everything, however, and even as buds are still developing, many have already flowered and gone leaving behind the empty leaves that held their glory. There are no more buds forming this season but they were prolific and the promise of each was extraordinary.

The last flower is about to bloom and I feel both sad and exhilarated. I know the plants will be back next year, probably expanded, as they tend to spread their beauty. But I am left with an awareness of how each tightly closed bud starts with potential and grows to be all it is meant to be. I cannot help but think of how it relates to children, how they start off with their potential contained and then blossom into the world, and how the process continues as we grow and mature into the beautiful creations we are all meant to be. 

Cultivation and maintenance instructions:

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/flowers/hgic1179.html

Rose of Sharon

I lived in the city when I was growing up. There wasn’t much room for growing things in the summer. My backyard consisted mainly of a paved driveway and a small slab of concrete, room enough for a couple of chairs that were never sat on. The tiny plot of grass was home to an outdoor clothes dryer. By contrast, the front of my house seemed almost lush. There were rows of white, purple and red portulacas on either side of the walkway leading to my house, a few hedges, and an exuberant Rose of Sharon shrub. Each time I left the house, the flowers would surprise me. They were so out there, bursts of pink that greeted the day and lasted until they closed and fell at night. They didn’t seem to mind that they were growing in a limited space or that they were far from their tropical roots. Each day was new and they made the most of it.

Now I have my own Rose of Sharon. It was a gift from my daughter’s in-laws who have a yardful at their home. They warned us, though, that it can take over. They were right. We remove any outcroppings we see around the bush but somehow the seeds made their way to the rear of our yard and they are now challenging the privets we have back there. It doesn’t seem to matter that they supposedly prefer full sun (they are in full shade) or that they like well-drained soil (we have marl that can be quite swampy). Sometimes they need reining in but I can’t help admiring them for their joie de vivre.

It is a boost to my spirit whenever I see them. There are so many reasons in our world to focus on the negative, to allow joy to withdraw or wither. These bushes thrive no matter what and express themselves in beauty and persistence. They are a vibrant life-force, as enticing as I remember. Seems like a good example to follow.

Being a member of the hibiscus family, Rose of Sharon is easy to grow. Take a look:
http://treesandshrubs.about.com/od/commonshrubs/p/RoseofSharon.htm

I Kissed the Hibiscus

It’s hibiscus season again. The plants in my backyard (and side yard as shown) are in full, incredible bloom! I have seen various flowering plants – I understand there are over 200 varieties – but each year these come up with blossoms that knock my socks off. It’s quite a display for a plant whose name means “delicate beauty.” Perhaps that refers less to the physical characteristics of the hibiscus than to its essence. Lots of benefits have been ascribed to the hibiscus.

Have you ever had hibiscus tea? I must have. It’s pretty hard not to have tasted it. Hibiscus is in lots of herbal teas and comes available with blueberry, coconut, vanilla, pineapple, even sangria flavors among others. Yogi Tea, Tazo, Republic of Tea, Stash, even Lipton all have hibiscus varieties.

Have you shampooed with the flower? I haven’t but it is tempting. It supposedly nourishes hair and slows premature graying (a little late for me, there). I wonder if it colors the hair. This might be something to experiment with.

Have you eaten hibiscus? No, not yet, though I have eaten nasturtiums. I’ve been reading that the flowers can be added to salads, is available as hibiscus honey and syrup, and can be made into tea at home.

Have you used hibiscus medicinally? Can’t say I have. This needs looking into. The plant has a long history of medical use. Claims have been made for its use as an antioxident, as a help in keeping the digestive tract functioning regularly, can help in weight loss, etc. There’s quite a long list of healthy possibilities.

Have you kissed a hibiscus flower? I did yesterday, in appreciation. What a pleasure to have this dazzling plant growing in my yard. I kissed the hibiscus not because of its useful values, which seem to be extensive, but because of its nature. It is what it is and can be appreciated on many levels. Even on the most obvious one – its delicate beauty.

What does hibiscus mean? http://www.flower-meaning.info/hibiscus.php