Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Hibiscus syriacus

Other names

Common Hibiscus, Rose Mallow, Shrub Althea.

It is the national flower of South Korea - the Korean Rose.

Family

Malvaceae

Flowering season

July to September

English distribution

It is grown throughout the country as a garden shrub.

In the wild it is found mainly in the South, particularly

around London.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Syrian Ketmia

Habitat

It is a neophyte which has been grown in the UK since the

sixteenth century.

It is hardy and some cultivars produce viable seeds which

enable it to spread in the wild. It is also released as garden

throw outs and has become naturalised on waste ground.

Description

Syrian Ketmia is a shrub growing up to 3m.

The showy flowers are formed in the axils of leaves and

last for only 1 day.

They are up to 10cm across and range from purple, to

pink and white.

The white flowers shown here appeared half way

through the flowering season on a shrub which normally

has only pink to mauve flowers.

The 5 petals are oblong ovals which overlap. They

usually have a darker star-like burst of a darker shade

at the base.

Multiple white stamens form a column round the style.

White anthers are produced at the base of the column.

At the top of the column 5 large, white capitate stigmas

project.

There is a calyx which has 5 green acute lobes and an

epicalyx with 5 lanceolate-linear green segments.

The fruits are 5-valved capsules which contain kidney

-shaped seeds.

The leaves are roughly oval and up to 9cm long and

5 cm wide. They

are 3 lobed, weakly dentate and distinctly veined.

Stems are grey.