Hybrid Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel') in the Hibiscus Database

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Wet Wet Mesic Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 10b
Plant Height:	4-6 feet
Plant Spread:	2-3 feet
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color Deciduous Other: Violet-purple foliage. In cooler fall weather, the foliage turns brilliant shades of orange
Fruit:	Dehiscent
Flowers:	Showy Other: Individual flowers open for only one day
Bloom Size:	6"-12"
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall Fall
Suitable Locations:	Bog gardening
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies Hummingbirds
Propagation: Seeds:	Suitable for wintersowing Sow in situ Start indoors Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem Cuttings: Tip Cuttings: Cane Division
Pollinators:	Birds Bees Various insects
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous:	Patent/Plant Breeders' Rights: PP 24,079
Parentage:	Summer Storm x proprietary hybrid #06-87-02
Child plants:	5 child plants

'Midnight Marvel' was a featured
Plant of the Day for September 17, 2015.

Photo Gallery

Uploaded by clintbrown

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2013-09-28

Uploaded by Anne

Location: Vaughan, ON, Canada (Zone 5b)
Date: 2014-09-27

Uploaded by Anne

Location: Chanticleer gardens, PA
Date: 2015-08
Lower courtyard - entry gardens

Uploaded by skylark

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2019-09-27

Uploaded by wildflowers

Uploaded by Xeramtheum

Uploaded by Rose1656

Uploaded by Danita

Uploaded by Danita

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2021-07-02

Uploaded by wildflowers

Uploaded by Danita

Location: Van Buren, MO
Date: 2017-10-21
Best Fall color of my 9 varieties of Hardy Hibiscus.

Uploaded by DraDiana

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-07-02

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Van Buren, MO
Date: 2017-06-28
2nd bloom, 2nd year.

Uploaded by DraDiana

Location: North West New Jersey
Date: 2020-08-14

Uploaded by NJBob

Uploaded by Danita

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-07-12
Rose Mallow Hibiscus 010

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2022-06-19
Some little pest is lacing up the leaves!

Uploaded by wildflowers

Uploaded by Michelezie

Uploaded by bloominholes2fill

Uploaded by clintbrown

Uploaded by pinkiris

Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2018-07-12

Uploaded by pinkiris

Uploaded by crittergarden

Location: Summeville, SC
MM is not self fertile naturally. By microwaving the pollen I was

Uploaded by Xeramtheum

Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2018-06-19

Uploaded by pinkiris

Uploaded by Danita

Uploaded by bloominholes2fill

Uploaded by bloominholes2fill

Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Date: 2018-07-07

Uploaded by Sscape

Location: Photo by Carol Bacskai; zone 5b, Yorkville, IL
Date: 2020-09-09

Uploaded by Artsee1

Location: Northwest N.J.
Date: 2018-08-21

Uploaded by NJBob

Location: Port Orange, Florida
Date: 2018-08-31
Leaves of juvenile plant

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Shores of Miserva, my home
Date: 8.28.2022

Uploaded by profesora

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2019-09-26

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2020-04-19
New leaves

Uploaded by wildflowers

Uploaded by Rose1656

Uploaded by Rose1656

Uploaded by Sscape

Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2018-07-09

Uploaded by pinkiris

Location: North Central TX Zone 8a
Date: 2018-07-10
From my neighbor's garden

Uploaded by tx_flower_child

Uploaded by kareoke

Location: My zone 5 garden.
Date: 2017-07-29
This plant is fantastic - give it room, be cause it will spread o

Uploaded by ljb5966

Uploaded by kareoke

Location: Crestview Nursery
Date: 2018-06-16

Uploaded by GaNinFl

Uploaded by Rose1656

Location: Glendale, AZ
Date: 2019-06-17
Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos 'Midnight Marvel'

Uploaded by RobGlen

Location: Georgia, USA
Date: Summer
Buds and side view of open bloom.

Uploaded by Danita

Uploaded by bloominholes2fill

Location: Van Buren, MO
Date: 2017-06-21

Uploaded by DraDiana

Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2013-08-01

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by clintbrown

Location: Van Buren, MO
Date: 2018-05-05

Uploaded by DraDiana

Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2018-07-31

Uploaded by pinkiris

Location: Columbus, Indiana
Date: 2015-07-07
One of the first year blooms

Uploaded by SunnyAsh

Uploaded by Michelezie

Uploaded by clintbrown

Date: 2013-07-13
From Bare Root, Young Plant (1st Year)

Uploaded by DabeNori

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DogsNDaylilies

Uploaded by profesora

Uploaded by Michelezie

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Barboursville, WV
Date: 2016-07-23
For sale at Lowe's

Uploaded by mellielong

Uploaded by mellielong

Photo Courtesy of Secret Garden Growers.

Uploaded by Joy

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by clintbrown (Medina, TN - Zone 7b) on Aug 28, 2014 1:24 PM concerning plant:

Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel' is a great red hardy Hibiscus. It has dark foliage and looks nice even when not in flower. It blooms longer than other red hardy Hibiscus plants. The red flowers last for one day each, but there are many of them daily. I've also noticed that it is more resistant to insects than other hibiscuses I have grown.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Xeramtheum (Summerville, SC - Zone 8a) on Jul 23, 2015 2:29 PM concerning plant:

I have noticed that they do not seem to be self fertile as I've hand pollinated every flower that opens with no success. They are however fertile with Luna Pink Swirl and, I would imagine, other hardy hibiscuses. I have 8 Luna X Midnight plants growing from seeds I collected last year. Can't wait to see some blooms.

**UPDATE**

I was able to get seeds using a technique of microwaving pollen which in some cases allows plants that are not self fertile to create seeds. Here is a link for how to do it.

The thread "Microwaving Pollen & Seeds from Midnight Marvel!" in Hibiscus forum

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
crittergarden	From July 23, 2015 to August 29, 2015	Bloomed Bloomed a whole month!
crittergarden	On August 9, 2014	Bloomed
lovesblooms	On February 26, 2020	Seeds sown indoors, heat, lights
lovesblooms	On February 24, 2018	Seeds sown winter sown
lovesblooms	On February 4, 2017	Seeds sown indoors
RobGlen	On October 16, 2018	Bloomed Two blooms so far. Hardiest rose mallow I own.
piksihk	On November 23, 2021	Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
piksihk	On October 6, 2018	Obtained plant 1 seedling Mercer swap

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
What a unique picture by tabbycat	Jul 13, 2018 3:26 PM	1

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Hibiscus Hybrid Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel')

Hibiscus

Hybrid Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel')