It’s summertime for sure in south Louisiana. Of course, it feels like it has been summer since May. Taking a line from a 1980’s hit, it is “Feelin’ hot hot hot!”

In south Louisiana, we are truly – as Aerosmith put it – “Living on the Edge.” At least in reference to climate regions. Louisiana is classified as a humid, subtropical climate with long, hot, humid summers and short, mild winters. In terms of plant selections, it would be relatively simple to select plants for the landscape if all we had to deal with was the heat and humidity. We would need to look no further than southern Florida or the Caribbean.

Personally, I like cold, winter weather – if it stays above 28 degrees. What makes plant selections challenging for us are the few days each winter that we drop below 28 degrees or the few days every so often that we drop into the teens. Tropical plants do not tend to perform well when temperatures drop below 45 degrees, and most will not survive light freezes.

So, what do you do when your landscape can’t take the heat? Well, turning to tropical plants is an answer if you don’t mind replanting every spring or trying to protect all of you plants over winter. Tropical hibiscus is one of the plants that bloom extensively throughout the summer. Planted in containers, these can be easily stored indoors overwinter.

But what if you like the tropical look of hibiscus, but do not want the hassle of trying to overwinter them? You are in luck, because Louisiana has our very own native hibiscus species which are winter hardy. If you’ve been driving around the bayous, you’ve probably already seen them in full bloom this summer.

The Malvaceae family contains many species of hibiscus. Some of the ones native to Louisiana include H. aculeatus, grandifloras, lasiocarps, and mosheutos. Of these, H. mosheutos is probably the best well known in the landscape trade thanks to the Luna cultivar series, which was a 2014 Louisiana Super Plant selection. The Luna series comes in colors of red, rose, white, pink, and pink swirl. These produce large, dinner plant sized 7-8” blooms from late spring through fall and are excellent for attracting butterflies.

H. lasiocarps - also known as wooly rose-mallow – are commonly found growing in and around wetland areas. The typically white flowers with a crimson center are easy to spot driving along the highway as the plants can easily reach 5-8 feet in height. I pass a native stand everyday along the highway on my way to work. Occasionally, you will see pinkish colored blossoms.

H. coccineus is a hibiscus native to parts of the southern US. Commonly known as Texas Star hibiscus, these are also becoming more popular with homeowners looking to add perennial hibiscus to their landscapes. Texas Star does well in wet areas and are somewhat drought resistant once established. Flowers are 4 to 8 inches across and brilliant red in color. There is also a white blooming variety named ‘Lone Star’.

Native hibiscuses thrive in the heat and sunshine. Plant these full sun locations. While commonly found in ditches and near swampy areas, you do not need to plant in low areas for success. A bed with rich soil and adequate moisture will get them off to a fast start for summer blooms.

In our area, these plants will die back to their roots in winter but are quick to rebound in the spring. Dead stems can be cut back in late winter to make way for new growth. Seeds from dried flower pods can be collected to start new plants. Make sure to give them room to grow – most will reach 5-8’ feet in height.