Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) vs Nodding Onion - TreeTime.ca

Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) vs Nodding Onion

Hibiscus moscheutos

Allium cernuum

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NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)
Nodding Onion

Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) has large white-pink showy flowers which attract hummingbirds and pollinators to your yard. It is a tall, fast growing perennial shrub. The flowers typically only last 1-2 days, but the plant will continue to rebloom throughout the season.

This hibiscus tolerates heat and humidity but does not do well when exposed to wind. Make sure the plant has access to lots of moisture for better flowering.

The Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) is also known as the dinner plate hibiscus because it can grow incredibly large flowers, as big as dinner plates.

Nodding Onion is a native perennial wildflower known for its nodding clusters of flowers that range in color from white to pink to purple. The lightly scented blooms provide pollen and nectar for pollinators, especially bees, which can collect while hanging upside down, a capability most other insects lack.

The narrow, grass-like leaves of the Nodding Onion can be used as a seasoning in cooked dishes, though bulbs and raw leaves should not be eaten in large quantities. All parts of the plant have an onion-like aroma when bruised, which helps deter deer and rabbits. They can self-seed readily, so removing spent blooms helps manage their spread. Tolerant of a range of soils, including alkaline, it is well-suited for a variety of plantings, including pollinator gardens and naturalization projects.

Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus) Quick Facts

Nodding Onion Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - high
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: raw leaves and bulbs can be midly toxic
Foliage: smells of onion when crushed, edible
Flowers: pink-red
Flowers: white, pink, or purple nodding clusters
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON
Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON
Other Names: crimson-eyed rose-mallow, dinner plate hibiscus, eastern rosemallow, hardy hibiscus, marsh mallow, marshmallow hibiscus, sea hollyhock, swamp mallow, swamp rose hibiscus
Other Names: ladys leek, nodding wild onion