Rock Rose

Pavonia lasiopetala

Oh, how I love this plant, and it is native to Texas. It has the prettiest little delicate flowers which bloom from spring to fall. I am partial to cherry blossom-like flowers, and these have something like that. They are pink pink. They are called ‘rock roses’ because they look like the the kind of roses with just a few petals and a flat face, which are among my favorite roses. A kind of Asian-y look.

But as a shrub it is wild looking, as if it would be growing among desert-y wildflowers. So I guess the “rock” means that it likes to be in rocky gardens. I like these all on their own, so one went in a bed near my prickly pear, and another is in a big beautiful pot where it gets to show off with all my other container plants. I just like wild things, even in formal places.

Dave’s Garden link: Rock Rose, Rock Rosemallow, Texas Swampmallow

size: 2-3′ wide x 3-4′ tall
growth: fast
exposure: full to part sun