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Project Noah Nature School
Hibiscus splendens
As a kid, I knew these flowers a Wild Hibiscus. Other names include Splendid Hibiscus, Hollyhock Tree, and Pink Cottonwood. An Australian native, its usual distribution is in open forests from the central coast of New South Wales to central Queensland. I can't help but laugh when I see them because the plants usually look long and scraggly, unlike cultivated hibiscus which are most often neat and bushy. Regardless, the flowers are always beautiful.
Spotted in the Cumberland State Forest, in Sydney's northwest. It's currently lush, green, and well forested. Here's some park info: http://www.forestrycorporation.com.au/vi...
Hopefully this ID is correct. Overall there are more than 300 Hibiscus species which occur mainly in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Australia has about 40 native species, most of which are endemic. There are also a number of closely related genera in Australia with Hibiscus-like flowers. These include Abelmoschus, Alyogyne, Gossypium, Howittia and Lagunaria.
Spotted on Dec 5, 2014
Submitted on Dec 19, 2014
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