Hibiscus Summerific® 'Berry Awesome'

Hibiscus Summerific® 'Berry Awesome': Dinner-Plate Pink With a Red Bullseye

Lavender-pink ruffles with a bold red eye that stares you down from across the yard. 'Berry Awesome' opens from the top of the stem down, like it's working its way through a guest list. NOBODY GETS SKIPPED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Hibiscus hybrid
• Common Name: Rose Mallow, Hardy Hibiscus
• Series: Summerific®, a Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 120 cm (4 ft)
• Spread: 135–150 cm (4.5–5 ft)
• Flowers: Lavender-pink with a red eye, ruffled, 18–20 cm (7–8 in) across, opening from the top to the bottom of the stems
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Deep green, deeply lobed, maple-like leaves on a dense, compact plant
• Features: 2019 Proven Winners® National Perennial of the Year
• Plant Patent: USPP 27,936 / Can PBR 5,647

Where to Plant: Give it a starring role as a focal point in the middle of a sunny border, in a corner of the yard that needs summer colour, or in a low spot that stays damp, such as a rain garden or the area near a downspout. Heavy clay is fine as long as it doesn't bake dry.

Companion Plants: Geranium 'Rozanne' weaves around the base with violet flowers from June to September at 45 to 50 cm. Aster 'Wood's Light Blue' keeps the front edge in bloom with blue flowers from August into October, after the hibiscus slows down. Persicaria polymorpha stands at 120 to 180 cm with cream plumes from June through August, a fine, airy contrast to the big pink blooms. All three like sun to partial sun, just like the rose mallow.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun for the most flowers; part sun works, with fewer blooms. Give it moist, fertile soil and keep it watered. Hardy hibiscus wilt and drop buds when they dry out, so a deep soak during summer dry spells pays off. A layer of mulch helps hold moisture. It is one of the last perennials to wake up in spring, sometimes not until late May or early June. Mark the spot so nobody plants on top of it. Once it starts, it grows fast. In spring, before new growth appears, cut last year's woody stems back to about 15 cm (6 in) with loppers or a saw. Mulch heavily its first winter. It rarely needs dividing and prefers to stay put. Watch for Japanese beetles in July.

History: The Summerific® collection was developed by Proven Winners® breeders in zone 5b Michigan, and Walters Gardens owns the Summerific® trademark. 'Berry Awesome' was named the 2019 Proven Winners® National Perennial of the Year.

Final Thoughts: Dense, compact and loaded. The butterflies already think it's theirs. Plant it before they FILE THE PAPERWORK.