Hibiscus x 'CRANBERRY CRUSH'

Swamp mallow and its hybrids have been sought after plants for the past few years now. They are perennials with sturdy stems that have large, tropically looking flowers. Cranberry Crush variety will awaken your love for rich cranberry red colour that is almost hypnotizing. It comes from a very successful series bred by Clarnece H.Falstad from Walters Gardens in Michinagn, USA, and which included such inventions like Summer Storm, Jazzberry Jam, or Plum Fantasy. It was bred in 2006 and patented as PP21984 in 2011.

Cranberry Crush swamp mallow produces large, cup-shaped, rich cranberry red flowers from midsummer until early autumn. They are borne atop about one meter tall, strong, red stems, and each stem makes 14-20 flowers. Deciduous leaves are ovate to hart-shaped, dark green with wine red hues, same like their veins and margins, and turn yellow and orange in autumn.

Swam mallow and its hybrids are commonly suited for regular garden soil of any pH, just make sure it does not dry out. In hot and dry summers it is dependent on regular watering and feed supply. Use fertilizers with enough phosphorus for abundant flowering, or any other quick-release fertilizers where nitrogen is not predominant. Any fertilizing has to stop by end September. Still, nitrogen-based fertilizer is useful when the plant wakes up from dormancy in mid spring, but should not be used longer than 8 weeks. Hardy hibiscus emerges very late, sometimes as late as in late May.

For healthy growth and profuse flowering it needs a sunny location with a lot of moisture which can be achieved by good mulching. The soil has to be fertile and can be clay and boggy, never let it dry out either in summer or during dry winters - its fleshy roots need some moisture also in winter. Hardy to about -34°C (USDA zone 4). Protect the bottom of the stems from direct sunlight with plenty of mulch during winter. Cut back the plant some 7 cm above ground level in spring after all frosts.

Last update 29-09-2018