Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummundii
Turk’s Cap
Family: Malvaceae
Mostly evergreen, upright, herbaceous shrub to 4’ tall and a little less wide. Red flowers hibiscus-like flowers that stay closed to form a tubular-like flower can occur about any time of year (there is also a white-flowering variety). If protected from cold, the blooming will continue throughout the year including during times when little else is blooming. These plants produce deep tap roots that help them survive frost and occasional drought.
Morning sun, afternoon shade, or all day in bright shade. In containers this plant will need very regular water. Plants in the ground can become established enough to tolerate some drought, and only moderately watered. Provide good drainage. Plants are frost tender at the top, but established plants can tolerate very cold temperatures—the tops will freeze but the plants will re-emerge from their roots, from temperatures as low as the single digits °F.
The fruits attract fruit-eating birds. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and many other species enjoy this plant for its nectar. Larval host for the Turk's-cap White-Skipper (Heliopetes macaira).
Its leaves are used as an emmolient and in Mexico the flowers are used in a decoction to treat inflammation of the digestive tract and as a menstrual aid. The fruit is edible either raw or cooked, tasting rather like apple, hence its Spanish name, Manzanilla (Little Apple).
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummundii on iNaturalist
Photo by Stephanie Brundage, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Malvaviscus is from a Greek word meaning "sticky mallow". The specific name, arboreus, refers to the tree-like appearance of a mature plant. The variety name of this plant is named for Thomas Drummond, (ca. 1790-1835), a Scottish botanical collector.
Found along streams, on the edges of woods, and on wooded limestone slopes and ledges. Central Texas east to Florida and Cuba, north to Arkansas and South Carolina, south through Mexico to the Yucatan and Chiapas. Other varieties of the species continue south through Central America to South America.
There are two botanical varieties:
Malvaviscus arboreus var. arboreus: The native range of this variety is Mexico to Trinidad and Peru. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii: The native range of this variety is Texas to Mexico. It grows primarily in the subtropical biome.
Though leaf morphology is quite variable for both varieties, in general, the leaves of var. drummundii are about as broad (or broader) as they are long on mature plants which helps distinguish it. Most plants in the trade are var. drummundii.
There is another species that is often sold/available in the trade which has very similar requirements. The sleeping hibiscus (Malvaviscus penduliflorus) is mainly different by having pendulous flowers. Its origin is unknown, thought to be somewhere in Mexico, but it also may just be a selection of M. arboreus.
Shrubby nature of Turk's cap, photo by julianramirez21 on iNaturalist
Photo of the white flowered variety, photo by Joseph Marcus, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Photo of a pink sport, photo by txstack on iNaturalist
Turk's Cap fruit, photo by Joseph Marcus, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Sleeping Hibiscus (Malvaviscus penduliflorus) has, as the name implies, pendulous flowers. Photo by ccaneydunod on iNaturalist