PlantFiles: Mexican Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. mexicanus

I have not grown this plant. Mexican Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. mexicanus) has almost glabrous leaves with truncate bases; whereas, Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) has densely tomentose abaxial leaf surfaces and cordate bases. M. arboreus var. mexicanus has larger flowers (up to 50 mm long) and leaves than M. arboreus var. drummondii (flowers 35 mm long) and is more more "Hibiscus-like" or upright in habit. M. arboreus var. mexicanus blooms usually hang downward; whereas, M. arboreus var. drummondii blooms are more erect. M. arboreus var. drummondii is smaller in stature and has more of a "sprawling" habit. M. arboreus var. mexicanus is less free-flowering than M. arboreus var. drummondii with the heaviest bloom production in late summer through fall. Also, M. arboreus var. mexicanus is a bit less hardy than M. arboreus var. drummondii.

Oh, how happy I am to of found this group. I have a Turk's Cap mess. We bought a house 2 yrs ago with a 60 ft wide, 15 feet tall and as deep as 20 ft in some areas. This thing is huge. We are NOT at all gardeners. I just want to know how to first get this thing in some kind of order and what I am supposed to do yearly or however much to maintain this. We would like to keep it big, as it is beautiful and private, but it is out of control. I would appreciate anyone's help!

I have tried to grow this more than twice but failed. Reason 1: Termites. Reason 2: My rigidness of not resorting to insecticide and my favouring 'organic' methods. Cuttings from friends established in plastic covers, but when I decided to plant them in the ground - where I always prefer to pots - it was soon eaten up by the termites. Termites seem to have a liking for its *taste*! Again, a kind friend gave me a pot of established little plant. Once more, they ate the roots off and they died. I don't know if it was my bad luck or what, but my neighbour's shrubs are thriving and the pictures I have posted of both the pink and red varieties are from there, close to our compound wall.

Extremely easy to grow plant here in Central Fl, however mine have NEVER gotten any seed pods, so I wonder if they are of a different variety? They were here when I moved into the house and grow profusely in this area. The oldest one I have gets over 12' tall with a 20 foot diameter. They bloom Fall, Winter and spring if not frozen back. I cut them all down to the ground in the spring before new growth starts and by mid summer they are back to full size. My husband, who's family has lived in Florida for 4 generations, calls these Sleepy or Sleeping Hibsicus. He recalls as a child pulling the blooms from his Grandmother's bush to suck the sweet nectar - often completely stripping her bush of blooms in one sitting. These root easly from hardwood cuttings, I used some cuttings from this bush for stakes to hold some other plants one year and every one of my 'stakes' rooted!

This is a great plant for zone 9.
I am wondering if anyone has made cuttings from it yet?
I plan to try to make them very soon.
Also has anyone had any luck finding seeds on it?
Thanks, Tricia

If you want humming birds in your garden, this is great plant to have. Mine is in its second year in the ground and is doing wonderfully, with profuse blooms all spring and summer so far.

I noticed one member commented on it's being an invasive exotic in their area and I would always encourage people to stick with natives in their gardens when possible, as generally there are native plants that can provide the color and function that one wants in a garden :)

I just found out what this plant is. It was in my yard when I bought my 50 year old house. Very attractive plant and easy to care for.

I have both red and pink planted in my natives area in semi-shade. I have acidic sandy loam here, and they're doing great for not having been in the ground but a few months. My red one is now in full bloom (10/22/04). The pink isn't growing as quickly...I'm not sure why.

I notice that most gardeners report Turk's cap in the warmer sothern states. I live in central Oklahoma (25 miles east of Oklahoma City) and have turks cap by my patio. I don't mulch and hardly ever water and it grows 5-6 feet every summer. I got it from Lafayette La. growing wild. I wrapped it in wet newspaper and flew home with it on an airline. I wonder how much further north it will grow. I dies back to the ground every winter.

This is one of the problems with common names. The Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus) is described above by Marlar, but the common name of Turk's Turban belongs with Clerodendrum indicum.

I played with these as a child. Best of all, they are loved by hummingbirds.

We were given a cutting of this plant, and let it sit in a bucket for 8 months. We planted it in the ground in Atlanta, GA about 3 months ago, and it has grown huge. It is very hearty and keeps blooming. Hummingbirds are especially attracted to it.

My Turk's turban plant was given to me by a friend in Louisiana. This plant is also called Ladies teardrop, wild fuchsia and Scotchman's purse. It blooms here from summer to frost and I cut it back then. I also mulch it very good It will get 6 feet tall here and will spread.

Marlar....Paris,Arkansas

Some believe that Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii is a form or subspecies of M. arboreus var. mexicanus while others believe they are different species. However, they have significant differences: M. arboreus var. drummondii can withstand significantly lower winter tempratures and has slightly lobed leaves and smaller flowers that are easier for hummingbirds to access. M. arboreus var. mexicanus needs a frost free area and requires full sun to get the thousands of blooms that it is capable of producing (although it does bloom in the shade) and blooms at different times of the year than M. arboreus var. mexicanus

I don't know about M. arboreus var. drummondii's salt tolerance, but M. arboreus var. mexicanus is very salt tolerant; here in east-central Florida it's grown along the salty Indian River Lagoon and will grow right up on the dune of Atlantic Ocean.

I had a Turk's Cap at my old place which grew from a stick pulled from a swamp. I planted it where it would get seasonal flooding and it rewarded me by eating part of the path and blooming nearly year round except when frost cut it back. If you pull the flowers from their -is it calyx?- the green part and suck on the base, you get the nectar the hummingbirds love. Very sweet!

I have planted here on my new place this plant's cousin, M. drummondii, which seems to be slower growing so far.

We had a red Turk's cap when I was a child and I would like to add one to my native flower garden in Panama City, Florida now.

This plant was initially introduced as decorative in gardens and some public places. But now it has invaded the forest reserves, and becames the dominant species on the sides of the roads that run inside the reserves. No previous studies were made, but probably it is leading native species to extinction.

However, the flowers are a great source of food to hummingbirds, also endangered species, so I guess it's not entirely a "pest"...

Here in Magnolia, Texas, I have a pink-flowered one that dies down and comes back every year. It is planted in partial shade, gets watered once a week in the hot summer. The plant was bought as a 1 gallon pot with two stems, it is now a nice bush about 3 feet across and 3 feet high. It blooms in the fall until frost. I have several clumps of the red-flowered growing wild on my property and they depend on rain and bloom intermittently.

This plant is very low care except for grasshoppers chewing on leaves. Seems to thrive best in semi shade. This plant does not like full Florida sun. Seems to flower best in the fall, starting in September here.

Actually, this plant's main time of bloom is fall, winter, and early spring [the Cypress Gardens calendar lists it as blooming there in March]. It will, however, occasionally bloom at any time of year. Also, it should be noted, it needs to be severely pruned in spring because, like hibiscus, it blooms on new growth only--thus my hedge gets trimmed only once a year! Whether it needs it or not.