Plants in the Hortus
Many of the plants described here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861. A large number of additional plants were identified from correspondence, gardening notebooks and other documents surviving in the archives. The Hortus attempts to describe all the plants grown in the gardens at Camden Park and those grown in horticultural enterprises such as orchards and vineyards and includes plants grown outside the gardens in the park-like environs of the Camden Park estate. The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes in the 19th century household; as ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicines, food and drink from the garden, orchard and vineyard and many others.
Hibiscus mutabilis L. var. florepleno
See Hibiscus mutabilis L. for information on the species. Florepleno is the double-flowered form.
Hibiscus pedunculatus L.f.
Frost-tender perennial herb or sub-shrub with 3-lobed leaves and solitary, axillary, pale rose-purple or pale lilac flowers. To 2m. [RHSD, Hortus].
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L.
Frost-tender, rounded, bushy, evergreen shrub or small tree with broadly lance-shaped leaves with toothed margins, to 15cm long, and solitary, 5-petalled, bright crimson flowers, to 10cm across, borne singly from the leaf axils in summer and autumn. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis simplex is a single-flowered variety, possibly close to the wild crimson form. To 3m. Many single and double-flowered cultivars exist in shades of crimson, orange, yellow or white. [RHSE, Hortus].
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. flava
For information on the species see Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. Flava is a form with yellow flowers. The illustration givenhere, from Loddiges Botanical Cabinet, shows a flower that is peach coloured rather than yellow.
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. florepleno
For information on the species see Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. Florepleno has double flowers.
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. from Tahiti
For information on the species see Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. Seeds of a Tahitian variety was sent from Tahiti by John Bidwill and raised at Camden. I have found no specific description but it is probably similar to the double scarlet form collected by Captain James Cook in 1769 and described below. This form appeared to be the predominant Hibiscus in Tahiti at the time.
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. lutea
For information on the species see Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. Lutea is a double yellow form, introduced to Britain in 1823. [PD, JD]. The figure is from Loddiges Botanical Cabinet and shows a flower more white than yellow.
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. rubra
See Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. for a description of the species. The variety rubra has deep red double flowers. [LBC no.995/1824].
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. variabilis
For information on the species see Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. I have found no reference to the variety variabilis but see Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. variegata.
Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. variegata
For information on the species see Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. Variegata is a semi double, rose pink flower, streaked with red, the outer ring of petals somewhat reflexed.
Hibiscus species unidentified
It should be possible to positively identify this plant but I have been unable to do so to date.
Hibiscus splendens Fras. ex Graham
Frost-hardy, rounded, open shrub with usually lobed leaves and pink flowers, to 12cm across. To 6m. [Wrigley, FNSW, Don].
Hibiscus syriacus L. var. alba simplex
Fully-hardy, erect, deciduous shrub with 3-lobed leaves, to 10cm long, and single or paired, large, trumpet-shaped flowers, usually dark pink in the wild, to 6cm across, arising from the leaf axils in summer and autumn. To 3m. Alba simplex has single white flowers. Cultivars with single white flowers still grown include, notably ‘Totus albus’ and ‘Snowdrift’. There are many colour forms, such as those described here, and double forms are common. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Hibiscus syriacus L. var. purpurea plena
For information on the species see Hibiscus syriacus L. var. alba simplex. Purpurea plena is a form with double red to purple flowers. [PD].
Hibiscus syriacus L. var. violacea simplici
For information on the species see Hibiscus syriacus L. var. alba simplex. Violacea simplici has single, violet-coloured flowers. Probably similar to the varieties ‘Blue bird’ and ‘Coelestis’, violet-blue with a darker eye. [Hilliers’].
