Poisonous Flowers: Kauai White Hibiscus

The Kauai white hibiscus (Hibiscus waimeae) is native to the Hawaiian island Kauai in the Waimea Canyon. The plant grows at high elevations, usually at 2,000 to 3,000 feet. All hibiscus plants carry a level four toxicity, which means toxic to animals such as dogs, cats and horses, but safe for humans.

Features

• The Kauai white hibiscus is an evergreen tree that grows up to 30 feet in height. It has gray bark with light green leaves that grow 2 to 7 inches long and 1 to 5 inches wide. The flowers are fragrant, with a light pink staminal column. They bloom white in the morning and turn a light shade of pink by afternoon. The flowers usually last only a day.
  

  Growing

• The ideal conditions are moist well-drained soil with partial shade to filter out strong light. They can be grown in full sun in dryer soils if proper maintenance and care is taken. Regular pruning will help promote additional flowering.
  

  Cuttings and Seeds

• The best way to produce additional Kauai white hibiscus is by taking cuttings from the parent plant. While it can be propagated by seed, the results do not always show the same characteristics as the parent plant.