Hazy White Hibiscus on Stouts Road, Fultondale

White Hibiscus along the Roadside on Stouts Road, Fultondale, Alabama

Pink Giant Hibiscus, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Pink Giant Hibiscus flower at Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Pink Giant Hibiscus flower at Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, Alabama.

The exotic-looking hibiscus has long been one of my favorite flowers. The giant hibiscus is a hardy plant that grows on a large bush. It blossoms from summer through the first frost, and the blooms can grow to as large as one foot in diameter. The deep red eye spreads outward in a starburst to a pink or white petals.