The Hibiscus Charm

Boasting bright colors, dazzling names, and glorious trumpet shapes, the hibiscus at the zoo are a fan favorite, always charming visitors this time of year. And it’s no wonder—these remarkable flowers are currently in bloom, with peak bloom arriving in August through early September.  

‘Berry awesome’ hardy hibiscus. Photo courtesy of Ellen Neely.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s herbaceous perennial hibiscus collection is nationally accredited by the American Public Gardens Association Plant Collections Network. The collection serves as a well-documented living library, providing opportunities for staff and researchers to gather important plant knowledge that is valuable to a wide range of professionals as well as home gardeners.  

Where can you spot these large, eye-catching flowers? The hibiscus are located throughout zoo grounds, with clusters at Café Brauer, Park Place Café, the Dream Lady statue outside of Helen Brach Primate House, the East Gate, and by the hillside across from the eastern black rhino habitats.  

“Hibiscus peak bloom is our team’s favorite time in the garden. We have over 80 varieties of the native North American hardy hibiscus, blooming in a range of colors from white, pink, and red, to dark purple,” says Director of Horticulture Emily Conn. “Not only are they beautiful and well-suited to our urban climate, but our students study their flowering cycles, and our horticulturists even feed out the flowers to animals in our care. Check out Red Flyer growing in the Lionel Train Adventure Gardens at East Gate—this scarlet hibiscus can grow up to 12 feet tall! Or enjoy the dinner plate-sized blooms on Strawberry Swirl on the north side of Cafe Brauer.”  

‘Lord Baltimore’ hardy hibiscus. Photo courtesy of Ellen Neely.

In addition to the hibiscus collection in full bloom, many other plants at the zoo are flourishing in the summer sun. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled to see if you can spot the blooming hydrangeas, phlox, coneflowers, false sunflowers, ornamental grasses, and summer annuals. 

The zoo’s Sunset Garden Tours: Hibiscus Mania takes place on Thursday, August 13. Join fellow nature lovers for a guided tour of the zoo’s expansive gardens and arboretum. Alongside a horticulturist, you’ll discover interesting species in bloom and discuss the horticulture program’s past, present, and future. 

Zoo grounds. Photo courtesy of Cassy Kutilek.

And to learn more about where to find hibiscus flowers on grounds, visit lpzoo.gardenexplorer.org. You can take your own hibiscus tour of the zoo!

This article was originally published on August 17, 2022. It has been updated.