Early in the summer, I was sent a press release that caused one of those "holy wow!" moments. The headline said it all: "Proven Winners ColorChoice Expands Catalog with the Addition of Hollywood Hibiscus." I had already become familiar with the Hollywood Hibiscus series and was thrilled that Proven Winners was adding this to their lineup.

Even more so is the fact that this is a new partnership with an old friend of mine, Jim Berry. Jim and I had become friends when he was in Alabama and I was with Mississippi State University. He was a good friend to university trial programs everywhere.

I went east to Georgia and Jim went west. I have stayed up with his operation in Grand Saline, Texas. Proven Winners ColorChoice says J Berry Nursery is a renowned breeder of breakthrough plants, committed to bringing unique and extraordinary varieties to the market like the Hollywood Hibiscus varieties and the subject of this week’s column, one named America’s Sweetheart.

When Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs asked if I wanted to give some a try, I jumped at the opportunity. One of the varieties I received was Hollywood Hibiscus America’s Sweetheart. I am historically not a pink guy but this lady has swept me off my feet. It is nothing short of beautiful and exhibits prolific flower production. The flowers show three distinct colors, deep red in the very center, then the majority which is a rich rose pink with lighter pink to white along the margins.

It is a tropical variety, cold hardy in zones 9 and warmer. It is, however, worth every penny spent to grow as an annual. I am growing all of mine in 14-inch plus-sized containers and they are deliriously happy. Since they are in containers, I have the ability to easily move for cold protection as needed. In the landscape these have the potential of reaching 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. In my line of work, I am always trialing new varieties, so the decision to protect will be made later. Right now I am relishing the blooms.

Since I am growing America’s Sweetheart as a thriller in a mixed-container, I chose partners I thought would look good, colorful and fall over the rim of the container. These are partners like the Supertunia Mini Vista Plum Veined petunia and Superbells Grape Punch calibrachoa and Lemon Coral sedum to give a splash of lime.

The 12 Hollywood Hibiscus varieties are tropical evergreen shrubs and need a lot of sun to live up to their bloom potential. In the landscape, you will want fertile well-drained soil, as a boggy condition will be your enemy. In containers, a good potting soil will give you the green thumb for which you long. Those in containers will be watered everyday, especially in summers like the one we have in 2024. Watering everyday, means leaching nutrients and thus the need to feed every two to three weeks.

I feed every two to three weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer. Some think with such large spectacular blooms you must need a super bloom, high phosphate fertilizer. This is NOT the recommendation. Just use a balanced blend and follow label directions. The norm with frequent feeding is to dilute your application.

There is nothing prettier than a tropical hibiscus and if you catch a hummingbird visiting, I promise you will be doing the happy dance. If you are a lover of pink shades the Hollywood Hibiscus, America’s Sweetheart is for you.

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(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Norman Winter receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.)

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