# swamp rose mallow (*Hibiscus moscheutos*) The swamp rose mallow is a beautiful flower that grows in wet areas. Its big, colorful blooms can be pink, white, or red, and they attract butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![swamp rose mallow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Hibiscus_moscheutos_-_Red_swamp_rose-mallow_flower_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Hibiscus_moscheutos_-_Red_swamp_rose-mallow_flower_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg) ## Appearance The swamp rose mallow has giant, showy flowers, typically white or pink with a deep crimson center, growing on sturdy green stems. Its broad, heart-shaped leaves are often fuzzy, giving it a distinctive soft texture among wetland plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malvales - **Family:** Malvaceae - **Genus:** Hibiscus ## Interesting facts - Even though it loves swamps, this plant can also grow well in regular garden soil. - Hummingbirds love to stick their long beaks deep inside its giant flowers for a sweet treat! - Its scientific name, 'Hibiscus', comes from an ancient Greek word for marsh mallow. - Some swamp rose mallow flowers can be bigger than a dinner plate! ## Special abilities - **Wetland Warrior:** Swamp rose mallow can thrive in wet, boggy soils thanks to its roots that tolerate low oxygen conditions. - **Pollinator Beacon:** Its enormous, vibrant flowers act like giant targets, attracting thirsty bees and hummingbirds for nectar. - **Sun Shield:** Swamp rose mallow has fuzzy leaf undersides that help it reduce water loss during hot, sunny days. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 90-210 cm - **Spread:** 60-120 cm - **Flower Size:** 10-25 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — feeds on flower nectar - **Pollinates:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — sips nectar from blooms - **Parasitizes:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — sucks sap from leaves ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers in nature to keep them safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify swamp rose mallow? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is swamp rose mallow? 90-210 cm ### How wide does swamp rose mallow spread? 60-120 cm ### How big are the flowers on swamp rose mallow? 10-25 cm ### When does swamp rose mallow bloom? Summer ### Is swamp rose mallow edible? Yes ### Is swamp rose mallow toxic? None ### What is swamp rose mallow's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chadwick Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadwick-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden - [Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (Charleston, South Carolina)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/magnolia-plantation-and-gardens-charleston-south-carolina) — South Carolina, US · Botanical Garden - [Pointe Mouillee State Game Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pointe-mouillee-state-game-area) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Golden Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/golden-hill-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Haughville](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/haughville) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood - [Historic Meridian Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/historic-meridian-park) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see swamp rose mallow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/swamp-rose-mallow) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Swamp Rose Mallow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/swamp-rose-mallow)