Plant of the Week: Swamp Rose Mallow

Run to the prairie, the Swamp Rose Mallow is blooming! Part of the Hibiscus family, Hibiscus moscheutos develops elegant large flowers that can be white, pink, or red. Spanning up to 8 inches wide, these showy flowers draw the attention of any passerby.

You’ll find a variety of pollinators alongside these blooms, from butterflies and hummingbirds, to even its very own specialized pollinator, the Rose-Mallow bee. Each flower only lasts a few days, but it produces a great number of buds to continue its show for over a month. Be sure to look for their flowers early, as buds open in the morning and close at night.

As a native plant of Wisconsin, you can find Swamp Rose Mallow along the edges of ponds and creeks where the soil remains moist. While Swamp Rose Mallow enjoys wet roots, it is not happy in a flower vase, so it is best to enjoy its flowers on the plant in its natural habitat.

Written By Hailey Collins