shrub seen in South Carolina

[Tony Willis]

This was growing in a garden in South Carolina.It is a straggly shrub scrambling through others. thought it might be a hibiscus?

[Maggi Young]

What a great plant - looks like it might almost be  Hibiscus syriacus but I don't think it has flower buds in that arrangement. ( I mean in that configuration and also aren't hibiscus buds quite fuzzy?)

[johnw]

but I don't think it has flower buds in that arrangement. ( I mean in that configuration and also aren't hibiscus buds quite fuzzy?)

I just wrote to a friend in South Carolina and he is adamant it's H. syriacus, Althea as they call it down there.  But I have to agree Maggi, buds wrong, arrnagement wrong and all the ones here have serrated or lobed leaves which are not apparent in Tony's pix.  Seems terribly early even for SC as they flower here in August and recall June sometime in Virginia.  In Va. they seeded all through the lawn and were a nightmare to get rid of.

john

[Maggi Young]

It occurs to me that the photo may be from a previous visit of Tony's, at another time of year, so  timing may not be an issue.

It really is only the flower that is saying "hibiscus", isn't it? 

Maybe a rainy day need to sort through this : http://www.malvaceae.info/       

[Tony Willis]

Maggi

we were there last month and it was like summer.People said how cold it was but some days it was warmer than it ever gets in Chorley. We went early to avoid the summer heat and humidity. We have never been to the South east before and it was wonderful. needless to say it was not an alpine plant trip.

Thanks for the id.

[Maggi Young]

Wow, I'm impressed that such a pretty thing would be so early. Different world over there!

I remain to be convinced that it is H. syriaca - look at the pix on this page : http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/hisy.html

[johnw]

Now that is even stranger that althea would flower in March even in SC!  It was one plant that folks would dig in mid June and bring in to the nursery demanding a refund. When in fact in slow springs it might not leaf out till late June.

BTW they do seem to be flowering here earlier every year - even early July. I reckon it will be back to its old routine after this abysmal start to Sspring.

john

[johnralphcarpenter]

Not a form of cotton, Gossypium sp., by any chance?

[Maggi Young]

I wondered that, Ralph - maybe Gossypium sturtianum - but again the calyx isn't right.

The bud arrangement is a bit like that in Cochlospermum gossypium - but that's yellow and in a different family.
 *Sigh*

[Tony Willis]

It did not appear to have any leaves.It was sprawling up through some other trees.

Have you noticed the spanish moss (tillandsia) in the background,it was everywhere and quite striking on the live oaks.

[Maggi Young]

Yes, the Tillandsia  makes an atmospheric shot.   

 There are a couple of new leaves showing - not at all hibiscus-like.....

[Hoy]

If it is in the Malvaceae the fruit should be recognizable. It is hard to tell from the pictures. It could be in another family in the Malvales though, like Cochlospermum.

[Maggi Young]

Do you know of any Cochlospermum this colour, Trond? All the ones I could find were yellow?

[Afloden]

I feel like I have seen this and know the name, but cannot think of it....

Looks a little like Xanthoceras at first, but the leaves are not pinnate and structure of the inflorescence also looks wrong..... Malvaceae should have the obvious column of stamens surrounding the pistil. Something else in the Malvales might be worth trying, but it does not seem to be Bixaceae, Grewiaceae, or Tiliaceae. Maybe Sapindales would be good to try too.

[Afloden]

Just thought of it Vernicia fordii, the Tung Oil tree. I knew I knew it and I use the tung oil for furniture finishing.