The crimson eyed rosemallow, Hibiscus moscheutos, has done very well this year. We've had the heat that it relishes, and just enough rainfall and irrigation. This swath growing in the Friendship Garden is a favorite. I'm not sure what the cultivar is, but I think it might be 'Lady Baltimore'. It's a carefree informal kind of perennial that is perfectly appropriate for the laid back summer garden.
A close look reveals the column along which the abundance of stamens are held and the five pistils. In this view you can also see that the petals don't quite overlap at the base and you get the full effect of the saturated color that gives us the common name crimson eyed. It's a great plant for chronically saturated soils, and can be used very effectively with spring plants since it is among the last perennials to emerge and begin growing in spring, sometimes waiting until mid to late May to wake from dormancy. Another plant for the list of tough and lovelies.
Cool close-up.
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