Hibiscus Summerific® 'Lilac Crush'

Hibiscus Summerific® 'Lilac Crush': Hard-to-Find Lilac That Stands Up Tall

Lilac flowers on a tall, columnar plant with stems that refuse to flop. 'Lilac Crush' turns bluer when the weather cools, like it's sulking over a text that never came. STILL STANDING TALL ABOUT IT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hibiscus hybrid
• Common Name: Rose Mallow, Hardy Hibiscus
• Series: Summerific®, a Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 150–165 cm (5–5.5 ft)
• Spread: 120–135 cm (4–4.5 ft)
• Flowers: Lilac, 18–20 cm (7–8 in) across, with thick, overlapping petals; cooler, bluer tones in cool weather
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Rich green, maple-like leaves on an upright, columnar plant
• Features: Sturdy stems that resist flopping

Where to Plant: Its upright shape fits places a wide hibiscus can't, such as the back of a narrow border, along a fence, or as a summer screen. It also makes a strong focal point in damp, sunny ground.

Companion Plants: Give 'Lilac Crush' a sunny, moist bed with white turtleheads, dark snakeroot and colourful heuchera. Heuchera FYRE WING™ 'Spinel' edges the front at 18 cm with colourful foliage. Chelone obliqua 'Alba' adds white turtleheads at 60 to 90 cm in August and September. Eupatorium 'Chocolate' brings dark leaves and white flowers at 90 to 120 cm from August to October. Hierochloe odorata adds sweetgrass at 30 to 60 cm.

Plant Care: Pick a sunny spot with at least six hours of direct sun. Moist, fertile soil suits it best, and it handles heavy clay as long as the clay stays damp. Water deeply through dry stretches; this is not a plant that enjoys going thirsty. It sleeps in late. New shoots may not show until late May or even early June. Put a stake or label beside it so you don't dig into it by mistake. Each spring, before growth starts, cut last year's stems to about 15 cm (6 in). Pruners usually won't do it; use loppers or a small saw. Mulch well through the first winter. Leave the clump in place rather than dividing it. Hand-pick Japanese beetles if they show up.

History: Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, bred 'Lilac Crush', one of the newer additions to its Summerific® collection. Hardy hibiscus are bred largely from Hibiscus moscheutos, the swamp rose mallow of eastern North American wetlands, and breeders have used it and its relatives to widen the colour range over the years, with lilac one of the harder shades to find.

Final Thoughts: Plant it at the back of the border and let it tower. Every butterfly in town has a crush. HONESTLY, SO DO WE.