• Over 200 varieties of hibiscus flowers grow in warm and tropical climates.hibiscus image by Wimbledon from Fotolia.com
  
  Visitors to the Caribbean may have encountered a delicious, deep-red beverage called Sorrel or Agua de Jamaica. Many don't realize that this tea is made from hibiscus flowers. Hibiscus is the national flower of South Korea, and in Mexico it is a candied delicacy. With over 200 varieties, both annual and perennial, the showy hibiscus is used worldwide for everything from papermaking to Ayurvedic medicine.
  
  

Rose Mallow

• A medium-sized hibiscus Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is a perennial also known as the dinner plate hibiscus. Its flowers, which last only a day, can grow to 10 to 12 inches wide. The Rose Mallow blooms from late summer to early fall. It grows tall in full sun, blooms several times over the course of a season and prefers moist, slightly acidic soil. Rose Mallow hibiscus comes in colors ranging from white to brilliant red. It is also known as wild cotton and swamp mallow.
  
  

Rose of Sharon

• The Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is native to Asia and is the national flower of South Korea. In North America, it is also known as the Rose of Althea or Shrub Althea. This trumpet-shaped flower, like the Rose Mallow, lasts only a day, but the plant blooms multiple times throughout the growing season. The Rose of Sharon comes in white, pink, purple and red, and is known for attracting hummingbirds, which are drawn to its long, tubular-shaped blossoms. In the United States, it grows best east of the Great Plains. This variety proliferates to the point that some states call it invasive.
  
  

China Rose

• The Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), also known as the China rose and shoe flower, is a scentless, inedible variety. The flower is generally red, although yellow, orange and pink varieties are available as well. The China rose is the national flower of Malaysia, where it is known as the celebration flower. It comes in both single- and double-petaled varieties. This most commonly grown variety of hibiscus is a staple of Chinese medicine. China rose is an evergreen shrub with flowers that can reach 6 inches in diameter.