Flower of the week: Hibiscus

I had a vivid dream last night about being on vacation in southern California. Maybe it’s all those Miramar memories bubbling up to the surface. Anyway, my dream was full of big bougainvillea and hibiscus bushes. The kind of bright, tropicals that don’t live here in San Francisco outside of the conservatory. Here are a few facts about this week’s flower:

There are over 300 varieties of hibiscus across the world. Hibiscus is edible and a great source of vitamin C. When used as a tea, hibiscus produces an organic cooling sensation. The hibiscus is also knows as a Rosemallow and is the native flower of Malaysia. Hibiscus is also commonly used to make paper, grass skirts and as a digestive medicine. Hibiscus flowers are depicted in the common “hawaiian surfer” patterns used today. The Victorians used hibiscus flowers as a symbol for “delicate beauty.”

Need some tropical flair in your life? You can buy a Japanese print featuring hibiscus flowers from The Met, a hibiscus ring or a gold hibiscus purse online.