Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. var. from Tahiti

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘The two or three forms of the Scarlet-double Hibiscus were introduced by the early Polynesian settlers.  The largest form is common in the mountains of Rarotonga and in gardens, and on the Southern Group Outer Islands; the smallest form is in gardens and is similar to the form collected in Tahiti on Captain Cook’s first voyage; the third form is intermediate in size, has petals with shallow lobes, grows in gardens, and it may also be an ancient introduction.  The Single-red Hibiscus is a common hedge plant and is an early post-European Contact introduction.  There is some evidence that this form was derived from the form with the terminal petals and or the Fringed Hibiscus. The Fringed Hibiscus, long considered a different species, is now known to have arisen as a mutation on a plant of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.  The many other forms of Hibiscus are all bred cultivars.  The longer lasting, firm petalled forms are often called Hawaiian cultivars because several were bred in those islands.’  [McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2.  Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.  Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.]  

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1845, 1850 and 1857 catalogues [T.552/1845].  A plant was presented to the Sydney Botanic Garden by William Macarthur on September 15th 1847 [RBGS AB].

Notes