Tropical brilliance

FEATURE: HIBISCUS BRINGS A SHOW OF COLOUR

- Alice Spenser-Higgs

Hibiscus is coming back into its own as a summer-long flowering shrub. Not so much as a garden plant but as a feature in pots, for the patio, the balcony and even indoors.

With the indoor plant scene always on the lookout for more colour and variety, it was natural that the brilliantly coloured trumpet-like flowers of hibiscus would catch the eye.

While hibiscus can start off indoors displayed in bright light or filtered sunlight, by nature hibiscus will be happier as an outdoor or patio plant.

What's nice about acquiring them as indoor plants is that they will remain compact for longer and there is no hurry to plant them up into larger pots.

What's to like about hibiscus? This exotic subtropical plant thrives in all but the coldest of areas.

It is happy in coastal as well as highveld gardens and is not shy to flower, attracting nectar-sipping birds and butterflies. Use the flowers to decorate summer cocktails and desserts.