I walked round and round this shrub trying to comprehend why the Hibiscus flowers were all closed and droopy. Turns out this shrub is Malvaviscus, going by the nickname Sleeping Hibicus. Malvaviscus means “sticky mallow” in reference to the thick, gooey sap. The fruit and flowers are used for teas while the fruit also makes a tasty jam. These bloomed on the Seminole Reservation in Florida’s Everglades. Copyright 2020 Pamela Breitberg
