Hibiscus tiliaceus

The Sea Hibiscus

Hibiscus tiliaceus, commonly known as Sea Hibiscus or Red Cottonwood, is an eye-catching evergreen native plant that brings tropical style and year-round interest to gardens. Originally found along Australia’s northern and eastern coastlines, it’s now widely grown all over the country—from Brisbane down through Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth—where conditions suit its hardy nature. 

Appearance & Growth Habit

This fast-growing plant typically forms a small tree or large shrub with a rounded canopy and heart-shaped foliage that ranges from deep green to burgundy in colour, especially in the popular ’rubra’ form. 

• Shape: Upright with a broad, spreading crown
• Foliage: Large, textured, heart-shaped leaves
• Flowers: Bright yellow blooms often with a reddish centre
• Height & Spread: Commonly 4–8m tall and 3–6m wide once mature 

Landscapers will often remove the lower branches and then prune back the top of the plant. This allows underplanting with with a variety of other plants. Hibiscus tiliaceus can also be pruned hard when young to create a rounded bushy shrub.

Flowering & Visual Appeal

Hibiscus tiliaceus produces striking yellow hibiscus-like flowers throughout the warmer months, creating continuous colour and garden interest. Though individual blooms may last only a day, new flowers appear rapidly, keeping the display going from spring into summer. 

Where It Thrives

This species is adaptable and low-maintenance, suited to a wide range of garden settings:

• Sun: Full sun to light shade
• Soil: Tolerates clay, loam, and sandy soils
• Climates: Coastal, subtropical, warm temperate
• Tolerances: Salt spray, drought once established, waterlogging and coastal winds 

Because of its coastal resilience and ease of care, Sea Hibiscus is popular in seaside and native landscapes. It also adapts well to urban gardens and larger backyard plantings. 

Landscaping uses.

This species is adaptable and low-maintenance, suited to a wide range of garden settings:

• Sun: Full sun to light shade
• Soil: Tolerates clay, loam, and sandy soils
• Climates: Coastal, subtropical, warm temperate
• Tolerances: Salt spray, drought once established, waterlogging and coastal winds 

Excellent in the garden border, used as a hedging plant or grown as a feature shrubs where the vivid yellow flowers are an attraction.

Forming a nice rounded canopy the leaves are heart shaped with good texture. Flower color is a pale yellow although pink flowering varieties are also available.

Useful as a feature tree, small shade tree or as a hedging plant. Another advantage of these small trees is that the root system is not overly aggressive, so they can be planted closer to buildings than many others.

Over time the tree will form a stout trunk and a broad spreading crown making it an excellent shade tree for parks, gardens and street plantings. With regular pruning Hibiscus tiliaceus makes a very attractive tree.

Grows well from Brisbane to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide as well as in Perth.

How To Grow Hibiscus tiliaceus – Basic Care.

To help your Hibiscus thrive:

• Plant in well-drained soil enriched with compost or organic matter.
• Mulch around the base to keep roots cool and retain moisture.
• Water regularly during establishment and dry periods.
• Prune lightly after flowering to shape and encourage new growth.
• For a dense hedge or bushy habit, formative pruning when young is key. 

Pruning

The best time to prune is in late winter to spring. Prune away any dead or damaged growth. A regular pruning at this time that reduces every brach by 30cm or so seems to work well.

Some gardeners like pollard this plant, pruning back to a framework that provides a dense growth habit.

Why It’s Worth Growing

Hibiscus tiliaceus blends tropical beauty with versatility—adding structure, flowering colour, and functional greenery to any garden. Whether you’re creating shade, a screen, or a striking specimen, it delivers resilience and charm with minimal fuss.

Summary

• Botanical Name – Hibiscus tiliaceus rubra
• Common Names – Sea Hibiscus, Cottonwood Hibiscus.
• Height – To 10m usually less in cultivation and easily prunes to size.
• Spread – To 5m
• Soil – Humus rich moist and well drained.
• Position – Full sun to afternoon shade.
• Foliage – Green to Red, heart shaped.
• Flowers – Lemon yellow with a red centre and contesting yellow stamens.
• Growth rate – Fast.
• Coastal Planting – Yes
• Drought tolerant – Reasonable once established.

Very tolerant of coastal conditions and hence the common names of ‘Sea Hibiscus’ and ‘Beach Hibiscus’. These are a fast growing small tree that work well as a background plant, small shade tree, or low windbreak or screening tree in coastal conditions.

Varieties

• Hibiscus tiliaceus ‘rubra’ – Foliage is deep purple to green, flowers are a clear yellow, tending to pink or orange as they age.
• ‘Variegatus’ – Attractive variegated leaves, usually with creamy or silvery edges, though it may produce fewer flowers than the standard form. 

Where To Buy

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