Hibiscus schizopetalus - Japanese Lantern

This fantastic arching shrub comes from tropical East Africa and is also known as the Coral Hibiscus, the Skeleton Hibiscus and the Chinese Lantern.

It is a fascinating plant and takes little effort to grow in a tropical garden.  It's an unusual hibiscus as its form is more akin to a weeping tree than a shrub.  The slender stems grow tall and upright quite rapidly and will reach around 2 metres and then arch over to form what could be best described as a pendulous canopy.

I have two of these shrubs growing on the hill driveway side of the pergola out in my courtyard garden.  They are planted at either end of the pergola and have now spread over half of the pergola which measures around 5 metres by 5 metres.  The top of the pergola acts as a support for the long pendulous arching stems.

Here you can see the Japanese Lantern at one end of the pergola spreading it drooping stems over the hill driveway.

This photo is taken looking up the hill driveway and it gives some idea of just how tall the upright stems get before they begin to arch.  The stems can be seen up against the corner of the pergola.

This shrub blooms sporadically all year long and the flowers are a real highlight.  I would say they are unequalled in their deeply dissected form. 

The delicate red flowers look a bit like a parachute or a chandelier... or like a Japanese Lantern!!!  They are rather distinctive with their frilly petals and long slender stamen.

I love the effect as they dangle from the top of the pergola like almost like a decoration out in the courtyard garden.  This is another of my favourite plants that's so suitable for a dry tropics garden or any tropical garden.