It wouldn't be right if I didn't have rock roses, Pavonia lasiopetala, in my garden. I think the first one came from some seeds I picked along the edge of Lady Bird Lake. Once you have them there is no getting rid of them even if you wanted to, and I don't. They are a welcome flower throughout the spring summer and fall. They tolerate all kinds of abuse and seem to have no pests. The only thing that they are a little guilty of, is seeding themselves where you don't want them. Along with the rock rose are those annoying morning glories, Ipomoea, that also have similar habits. Both these plants are growing right up through the middle of an Indian hawthorn, Rhaphiolepis idica,threatening to suffocate it. They have been shading the hawthorn from the strong sun so if I were to remove them the plant would suffer from sunburn.
The flowers close up at night, as do the flowers of morning glory, but there is always the guarantee that there will be new flowers open in the morning.
i just planted my first little rock rose, just the same as your's pictured, as well as a brazilian variety that is white with a maroon center. i have always loved these flowers and put them in a place they can freely reseed all they want...hehe
ReplyDeletethanks for the lovely blog and photos!
I gave a small one to Katina at Gardening in Austin earlier in the year. Mine as well as her's has bloomed off and on the whole summer. She thought I was really put out to do it but you and I know it was her that did me a favor by taking it.
ReplyDeleteI have one that grows up through a Snow Cloud Artemisia and the dark pink is just beautiful against the grey white of the Artemisia, one of my favorite sights in my garden.
Cat- I must look out for the Brazilian rock rose. Sounds delightful.
ReplyDeleteBob-I don't know Snow Cloud- is it a smaller mounding variety? I remember planting one like this years ago but it died. Your combination sounds wonderful.
Which species is your rock rose? When I think of rock rose I think of Cistus. Yours look just like miniature Hibiscus, except they live in a reverse habitat. The Morning Glories are lovely if a nuisance.
ReplyDeleteTherein lies the problem using common names so I usually try to put in the latin name so there is no confusion. This rock rose is the native and is a member of the mallow family. This seems to be a totally different rock rose from the one you mention.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 rock roses in my garden. Unfortunately because of the drought my neighborhood has been on an outdoor watering ban all summer.
ReplyDeleteWill they come back? I hope they are just dormant and not dead.
-ella
D'oh! the species is right there! :) It certainly does look like a member of the mallow family. It's lovely.
ReplyDeleteI find it humurous you say Morning glories are nasty. I find the bind weed form nasty. I suppose they just go to town or take over. It is such a convient vine here in Wi. We scratch them and start them. Of course some varietyes will come up next year by themselves. Not always, though. Others here like the moon vine as well.
ReplyDeleteI am told that some of our rock roses will come again from seed too, though I have not planted enough as I could have cause they are so pretty.