Distribution

It is very common in the coastal areas of Taiwan. It is distributed in the plains and coastal areas of Taiwan. It is wind-resistant and salt-resistant, and is often planted in coastal villages.

Adapt to an aquatic environment

It has a well-developed and extensive root system and can grow stably in soil or sandy substrates in water. Its root system can absorb a large amount of water and nutrients and adapt to the poor nutritional conditions in the aquatic environment. In addition, Huang Jin's roots can also release oxygen into the surrounding soil, improving the microenvironment around the roots.

Ecology

It can grow in land with high salinity. The soil quality is preferably neutral to slightly alkaline loam or sandy loam. The optimum temperature for growth is about 23 to 32 degrees Celsius.

Others

1. Excellent windproof, garden and street tree species: Hibiscus hibiscus is strong, fast-growing, wind-proof and moisture-proof. It mostly grows in seaside areas. It is an excellent tree species for coastal sand control, sand fixation, moisture-proof and wind-proof. It can also be planted as a garden tree to provide shade. tree or street tree. 

2. Livelihood uses: The leaves can be used as pillow leaves for steamed cakes. Coastal residents use their leaves to place them on cakes for cooking, so they are also known as cake tree and cake tree. The bark fiber can be used to make ropes or nets. The wood of the branches is light and flexible and can be used as furniture or firewood. 

3. Medicinal uses: The leaves and bark of Hibiscus can be used to treat bronchitis and coughs. The leaves can be applied externally to treat swelling and can be used as a detergent. The roots can be used as an antipyretic and emetic.

Morphology of the plant

1. Root :No special introduction

2. Stem :Medium tree, with a height of 15 meters or more and a diameter of 30 to 100 centimeters; the trunk is smooth, the bark is gray and fibrous, the branches are divergent, multi-branched, and spread out laterally; the branchlets are pubescent when young and smooth in adulthood. Hairless.

3. Leaf :Single leaves, alternate, with petioles, 3-10 cm long; leaves 8-15 cm long, 9-20 cm wide, heart-shaped, with deep heart-shaped leaf bases, sharp apex, thick paper, and whole leaf margins The margin may be an inconspicuous wavy toothed margin, and the veins are palmate, with 7 to 9 veins; the back of the leaf is gray-white, covered with star-like hairs; the stipules are persistent, triangular-ovate, up to 2 cm long, with sparse star-like hairs.

4. Flower :Sporadic blooms can be seen almost throughout the year, but are more concentrated in February to March. The flowers are terminal or axillary, large, yellow, and often not very open, but the diameter can reach 9 to 12 cm when open; the flower stalk is cylindrical, 4 in length. ~6 cm, stout; two bracts, opposite, oval-triangular or oblong-triangular, with sharp apex and pubescence; 9-11 accessory sepals (bracts), triangular, 0.3-0.4 cm long , the apex is sharp; the calyx is bell-shaped, deeply five-lobed, with coarse hairs; the petals are five, bright yellow, tubular, overlapping, bell-shaped like a badminton, the center of the flower is dark purple, 4 to 6 cm long, 3.5 to 5.5 wide. cm, apex rounded or blunt; stamens numerous, single stamens; stamens cylindrical, 4-5 cm long, not exceeding the corolla; filaments linear, short; anthers one-chambered, ovary spherical, five-chambered; style five-striped.

5. Seed :No special introduction

6. Fruit :The fruit is a capsule, long oval-shaped (peach-shaped), about 2 to 3 cm long and 1.8 to 2.5 cm in diameter. The back of the capsule is five-lobed, with a tail tip (short beak) at the apex and wool; the seeds have teeth. Shape, hairless, about 0.3 cm long, with scattered small papillary warts. The purple-flowered hibiscus seen in Sanxiantai and Xiaoyeliu on the east coast has larger and plumper fruits than the yellow-flowered hibiscus.