• Photo of Hibiscus 'Fireball' (Hibiscus 'Fireball's)

Plant Profile: Hibiscus 'Fireball'

Names

Fireball Hibiscus, Hardy Mallow

  • Photo of Hibiscus 'Fireball' (Hibiscus 'Fireball's)

Phonetic Spelling:hy-BIS-kus

Genus:Hibiscus

Species:‘Fireball’ PPAF

Family:Malvaceae

What boasts striking ten-inch red blooms from June to August? It’s the ‘Fireball’ hardy hibiscus! Since its debut in 2001, this stunning perennial has captivated gardeners. With a mature height of 4 feet, ‘Fireball’ resembles a tropical shrub and is particularly notable for its resilience in heat and humidity. To cultivate this robust perennial, plant it in full sunlight with consistently moist soil. Additionally, this hibiscus is cold hardy, thriving in USDA Zones 5 through 9, making it suitable for growth throughout North Carolina.

The allure of ‘Fireball’ lies in its vibrant red flowers paired with its attractive, deeply lobed green leaves that feature unique purple veins, adding charm to any sunlit garden. Ensure the soil remains moist, and you’ll quickly discover why this plant is a true standout!

Wildlife Benefits: The Hibiscus genus is known to support the specialized bee species Ptilothrix bombiformis and is also resistant to deer.

 

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Feature Summary

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#deciduous
#heat tolerant
#wildlife plant
#nectar plant
#specialized bees
#showstopper
#borders
#pollinator plant
#butterfly friendly
#bee friendly
#tropical feel

Similar Plants

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Feature Summary

Attributes
Tropics & Subtropics to N. America
Flowers
Clear red with delicate petals
Red/Burgundy
6 petals/rays
Funnel
Tubular
> 6 inches
Leaves
Deeply cut, three-lobed
Green
Purple/Lavender
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
3-6 inches
3-6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Pollinator Garden
Hedge
Mass Planting
Specimen
Drought
Deer
Humidity
Black Walnut
Naturalized Area
Riparian
Butterflies
Pollinators
Specialized Bees
Hummingbirds

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Attributes

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Country Or Region Of Origin

Tropics & Subtropics to N. America

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Flowers

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Flower Description

Clear red with delicate petals

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Flower Color

filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Leaves

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Leaf Description

Deeply cut, three-lobed

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Leaf Color

spa
Green
spa
Purple/Lavender

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Whole Plant Traits

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Cultural Conditions

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Hibiscus 'Fireball': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Hibiscus 'Fireball': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Stem

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Hibiscus 'Fireball' Landscape

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Hibiscus 'Fireball': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees