A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum The Seed and Cuttings Exchange Free Hibiscus Coccineus (texas star) seed (red)

Sometimes you might get a hybrid with hibiscus moscheutos from the seed (not often).
They are perennial and need about the same growing conditions of moscheutos (hardy hibiscus).

The official zone hardiness is 6- but, to me they are more vigorous than mosecheutos so give it a go if someone wants to try to push that limit.

If you end up with a hybrid it usually looks something like this.



If anyone wants some of these seed let me know.

tWIZZLESTICK I am someone,
what would you need for some of those seeds?
I have something growing but it was more pink than red.

LMK
thanks

dodge

Hi Dodge

Just leave a msg on where to send. I'll get out to you asap.

Thanks twizzle,

I pmed you my addy.

Need anything Holler.

dodge

As you correctly indicated, Hibiscus coccineus will not hybridize easily with other North American native Hibiscus in Section Muenchhusia. The fortunate exception is Hibiscus laevis (syn. militaris) which is the bridge species which allowed Ernest Hemming to transfer the red color of H. coccineus into H. moscheutos, in the early 1900’s. A very good paper on this subject is:

Brittonia, Volume 23, Number 4 (1971), 425-437, DOI: 10.2307/2805708
Genetic affinities of the North American species of Hibiscus sect. Trionum
by Dwayne A. Wise and Margaret Y. Menzel
http://www.springerlink.com/content/k585573287782t57/
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/2805708

The abstract references the genetic compatibility issues. A college library should be able to obtain a free copy of the PDF through JStor. I believe I now understand how Ernest Hemming came to the decision he did, but it was am amazing insight in 1900 with none of genetic resources which are at our disposal today. I am growing Hibiscus Annie J. Hemming (PP835) which was the last hybrid Hibiscus Ernest produced and some of the flowers have seven petals. Ernest Hemming had been working on a hardy double as early as 1910. He was also working on a hardy yellow at the same time.

Depending on their ancestry, some of our modern hybrids will backcross to H. coccineus but H. coccineus is predisposed to self pollination so you have to be very carful. Many of the modern hybrids have unusual properties which have not been adequately researched. For example, Hibiscus Moy Gande is a super pollinator, which will fertilize the almost completely pod sterile Hibiscus Lord Baltimore with a 100% success rate. My first F1 hybrids should bloom this summer; they should be very red!

Mike

I would like to try some. I don't have paypal but let me know what it cost for postage and I'll send it.Thanks

Ohhh YEEEESSSSS I'd LOVE some. tell me what you need in return. Do we have anyplace on the site for putting what we have to trade?
(((HUGS)))

Do you have any seeds of the first one?
I have the 2nd one in bloom now.

Love the colors.