Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii - seriously?

This is Turks Cap, one of the flowers collected by Scot naturalist Thomas Drummond in 1833 when he was making a botanical survey of South Texas plants and birds. It loves shade, is a shrub that grows 3 feet tall or more, and is 3 feet wide. I planted it on one side of my backyard and it died. The next spring, this shrub came up, obviously "planted" by a bird. I cut it back to the ground after the first freeze every winter and it comes right back the next spring. I love its shape, the flowers never fully open though.

[KWind]

Pretty shape and color!

[Maggiemae]

My tongue just got all twisted trying to say this! Lets just keep it as Turk's Cap! A Scotsman in Texas??

[Lou Ann]

Thomas Drummond was a Scottish naturalist who came to America to collect specimens from the western and southern United States. He collected 750 species of plants and 150 birds. His collections were the first made in Texas and were distributed among many museums and scientific institutions around the world. He died in Havana in 1835, he had intended to return to Texas to collect in the rest of the state, but didn't make it!

[Lou Ann]

@maggiemae my comment above is for you!

[bkb in the city]

Beautiful

[Claude Trew]

What a unusual flower. Very vibrant and very big bloom, you need a big garden to accommodate this plant.

[Bep]

Beautiful flower and interesting info.

[Islandgirl]

Pretty flower and colour!

[Pat Knowles]

You were obviously meant to have one if these flowers in your garden! A very desirable plant for shade, it must just be so vibrant in that environment.

[Lou Ann]

@bkbinthecity @claudiet @gijsje @radiogirl @happypat

Isn't it funny how things work out? I was so disappointed when my Turks Cap died. The flowers are not as large as they look here, the blossom is probably an inch or inch and a half across, the twisted stamen is close to two inches long. They have to be from the Hibiscus flower group, it's just so strange they barely open. Thank you so much for your comments!

[Henri Russell]

What a name. Certainly a tongue twister. I agree with Pat, you were meant to have this plant. It does have pretty and unusual flowers.

[Carole Sandford]

That's easy for you to say! Or may be not! Lol
Really interesting looking plant, nice capture.

[Taffy]

I like the story behind this image and how the flowering plant came to be.

[Babs]

a beautiful flower and a really interesting name. I think I will stick with calling it a Turks Cap too, much easier to pronounce.

[KoalaGardens🐨]

how lovely, but what a name :)

[Milanie]

What an interesting story about this plant. Its shape is so interesting - but how odd about it staying closed.

[Gayle]

Oh, yes! I definitely recognize this flower! So beautiful! Wonderful capture and background information! I'm always amazed how much I learn on 365 every day! :-)

[Lou Ann]

@henrir @carole_sandford @taffy @onewing @koalagardens @milaniet Thank you for your comments and fav. for this kind of unruly flower!

[*lynn]

lovely bloom and interesting facts

[Connie Little]

You were meant to have this plant in your garden. It has a very unusual looking flower. Looks a lot like a hibiscus the way the stamen pops out.

[~*~ Jo ~*~]

Lovely capture

[tony gig]

Beautiful

[Nicole Campbell]

I love getting surprises in my garden when the plants grow back each year. I always forget where I have planted things and then they pop again. This one is very pretty.