This attractive perennial is native to the marshes, swamps and roadside swales in
FL, GA, and AL. Presumably introduced to NC from further south, Scarlet Hibiscus often
cultivated as an ornamental and sometimes appearing native. Each flower has five brilliant
crimson red petals measuring up to 7 in across, and a prominent showy center staminal column.
As with all hibiscus the flowers only last for a day. The palmate leaves have 3-7 narrow,
pointed, serrated lobes, which resemble the leaves of marijuana. To my knowledge the leaves
are unsmokeable - is that a real word?