Urgent ID Needed

I am doing my Dissertation on Giant Whitefly. I want to create a clonal stock of the Hibiscus I have available but I need it identified. If anyone can I identify the variety/cultivar I would be very grateful,

Guess: Hibiscus waimeae http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/80851/ - possibly the var. hannarae or Hibiscus arnottianus. Complete Guess.

Those two look like the closest matches to me too. Do you remember where you got the plant from? I've seen H. arnottianus for sale but I've never run across H. waimeae so that could make H. arnottianus a little more likely. But I don't know what's available at your SoCal nurseries. If Plant Files is correct then H. arnottianus is hardier than H. waimeae (zone 9 vs zone 10). Not sure what zone you're in, but if you're not zone 10 and you've kept the plant outside over the winter then H. arnottianus is also more likely.

I live in Riverside, CA. I didn't purchase it myself. It has been on the property at least 20 years.

After doing some research given these leads my best guess would be Hibiscus arnottianus sub. arnottianus c.v. "Shy Girl". The leaves of Hibiscus waimeae are round instead of toothed like most are in Hibiscus arnottianus. The description of the "Shy Girl" cultivar : which has flowers with a pink blush on the backs of the petals and on the edges of the petals.

Wish I could find a picture of this :(

I found this description: http://hihort.blogspot.ca/2011/10/kokio-keokeo-hibiscus-arnottianus.html and it sounds like you have it right. I couldn`t find an image either.

this http://www.flickr.com/photos/colbsi/3400948549/ looks like the exact same flower.

Yes they do look the same. Unfortunately there isn't any name associated with it.

At least it is providing me with a copious amount of whiteflies

Sometimes it is useful to go a side by side image search in Google Images and see which yields the most plausible results. It’s like one of those game shows where they ask the audience.

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=Hibiscus+arnottianus

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=Hibiscus+waimeae

Mike

Looks like an early clone of a hybrid cultivar called White wings. there were tons of this one in old yards in San Diego years back. There is an even older clone of white wings that had reddish tinges to the foliage and not so much gloss, but it was a ragged looking clone and didn't bloom well so it seems to have disappeared.

Kyle


Arrnotianus does have red eyes..pure white in the center with just a red staminal column.

You win the prize Eclipse. I went to my local nursery and they have White Wings, which are identical to my plant.



This message was edited Apr 24, 2012 1:06 PM

This message was edited Apr 24, 2012 2:59 PM

They use it still to make hedges in S. California. It takes to being trained and trimmed quite well.

Kyle