Description
Kitaibelia vitifolia (syn. Malope vitifolia) | Russian Hibiscus
Russian Hibiscus, also called Chalice Flower, Cedar Cup and Vine-leaved Kitaibelia is a fast-growing, woody, perennial shrub in the mallow family that’s native to the former Yugoslavia, Balkan region (Slovenia to Macedonia) that forms a massive clump of tall stout stems from a huge rootstock, large, coarsely-toothed leaves resembling grape or maple leaves, and white cup-shaped Mallow-type flowers bloom from summer to frost. This plant fills a void in the garden as it’s not too common to find a 5+ foot tall flowering shrub that grows in shade.
Grows great at the back of a part-shade border and makes a nice backdrop to other shade-loving plants.
Sow seeds in spring after the last frost in a warm, sunny location. Or start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors after the weather warms up. Keep soil moist. Cold-moist stratification may help germination, but in our experience its not required.
Type: Perennial
Sun exposure: Full sun to full shade
Mature height: 6-8 ft
Mature width: 4-6 ft
Hardiness zones: 5-8
