Hibiscus tiliaceus

Appearance

''Hibiscus tiliaceus'' reaches a height of 4–10 m , with a trunk up to 15 cm in diameter. The flowers of ''H. tiliaceus'' are bright yellow with a deep red center upon opening. Over the course of the day, the flowers deepen to orange and finally red before they fall. The branches of the tree often curve over time. The leaves are heart shaped and deep red in the var. rubra.

Distribution

''Hibiscus tiliaceus'' is a common coastal plant in Eastern and Northern Australia, Oceania, Maldives, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. It has become naturalized in parts of the New World, such as Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It is uncertain if the species is native to Hawaii, as it may have been introduced by the Polynesians. ''Hibiscus tiliaceus'' can be found at elevations from sea level to 800 m in areas that receive 900–2,500 mm of annual rainfall. It is commonly found growing on beaches, by rivers and in mangrove swamps. Sea Hibiscus is well adapted to grow in coastal environment in that it tolerates salt and waterlogging and can grow in quartz sand, coral sand, marl, limestone, and crushed basalt. It grows best in slightly acidic to alkaline soils .
Cotton Tree, Queensland, Australia is named for the plant.

Habitat

''Hibiscus tiliaceus'' is a common coastal plant in Eastern and Northern Australia, Oceania, Maldives, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. It has become naturalized in parts of the New World, such as Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It is uncertain if the species is native to Hawaii, as it may have been introduced by the Polynesians. ''Hibiscus tiliaceus'' can be found at elevations from sea level to 800 m in areas that receive 900–2,500 mm of annual rainfall. It is commonly found growing on beaches, by rivers and in mangrove swamps. Sea Hibiscus is well adapted to grow in coastal environment in that it tolerates salt and waterlogging and can grow in quartz sand, coral sand, marl, limestone, and crushed basalt. It grows best in slightly acidic to alkaline soils .
Cotton Tree, Queensland, Australia is named for the plant.

Uses

The wood of ''H. tiliaceus'' has a specific gravity of 0.6. It has been used in a variety of applications, such as seacraft construction, firewood, and wood carvings. It is easy to plane and turns well, so it is regarded by many as a high quality furniture wood. Plant fibers taken from the stems have traditionally been used in rope making, while its bark has been used like cork, in sealing cracks in boats. The bark and roots may be boiled to make a cooling tea to cool fevers, and its young leafy shoots may be eaten as vegetables. Native Hawaiians used the wood to make ''ʻiako'' for ''waʻa'' , ''mouo'' , and ''ʻau koʻi'' . ''Kaula ʻilihau'' was made from the bast fibers. ''Hau'' would be used to make ''ʻama'' if ''wiliwili'' was unavailable.

''Hibiscus tiliaceus'' is widely used in Asian countries as a subject for the art of bonsai, especially Taiwan. The finest specimens are taken from Kenting National Park. Lending itself to free grafting, the leaf size is reduced fairly quickly. Its leaves are also used in cooking, as trays for steamed rice cakes .

In Indonesia ''H. tiliaceus'' is also used for fermenting tempeh. The undersides of the leaves are covered in downy hairs known technically as trichomes to which the mold ''Rhizopus oligosporus'' can be found adhering in the wild. Soybeans are pressed into the leaf, and stored. Fermentation occurs resulting in tempeh.