Rose Mallow

I showed you a glimpse of the rose mallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpos) in yesterday's "white" post, but I need to show you more.


This big plant is a main feature in the walkway garden, even when it's not blooming. But it is blooming right now, and there's no way to miss it!


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Big white blooms with no noticeable fragrance (to me), but they're loaded with pollen:




I really like heavy pollen producers, as they seem to attract lots of bees!


I think a pollen-covered bee is my favorite photo subject in the garden.



The blooms open for only a day I think, but there are plenty of buds left:


I'm going to deadhead these this year, as although the seed pods are quite beautiful, the seedlings are not wanted -- there are several of them in the area and with a plant this size one is really enough.

An unexpected patch of variegation on one leaf is a bonus:


One of the few Japanese beetles I've seen this year:


I assume this means that in a typical year I'll see lots of beetle damage on these blooms -- but not this year.

Any questions about this plant? It really is quite nice, and I'm glad I put it in front of the house where I (and the neighbors) can enjoy it all day long.

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danger garden  – (July 26, 2013 at 7:35 PM)  

Interesting...I have this same plant (or at least it's got a very similar flower) and mine has some variegation this year too!

Barbie  – (July 27, 2013 at 3:45 AM)  

Fantastic photos - love the dusty bees!! The photo is so sharp, you can see each individual pollen grain.

Alan  – (July 27, 2013 at 8:45 AM)  

That's surely just coincidence, right Loree? Or maybe this plant does this every year -- sometimes it's just on a leaf that's not so easy to see?

Salty Pumpkin Studio  – (July 27, 2013 at 9:16 AM)  

Beautiful photos

The beetles are well at work her in Vermont. One refused to leave my floral canopy. I had to physically shove him on his way.

Anonymous –   – (July 22, 2014 at 5:19 PM)  

The dusty "bee" is not a true bee,
I can tell because it has only two wings.
I think it is a hover fly.

Alan  – (July 22, 2014 at 5:54 PM)  

Anon: My photos may not show it well, but I do think it is a bee. Agapostemon virescens http://bugguide.net/node/view/21858/bgimage

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