Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Candy Crush Hardy Hibiscus: Bubblegum Pink on a Shrub-Like Column
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Candy Crush hardy hibiscus grows in an upright, columnar shape that gives it the structure of a small shrub. Its saucer-shaped flowers are about eight inches across, bright bubblegum pink with a near-black red eye, and they open all along the stems from bottom to top rather than only at the tips.
It loves full sun like lavender, but it also needs consistent moisture and should never dry out for long. That puts it in a watered border or rain garden near the lavender, not in lean lavender soil.
Candy Crush at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Hibiscus 'Candy Crush' |
| Flowers | Bright bubblegum pink with a near-black red eye, about 8 inches |
| Foliage | Rich bright green, three- to five-lobed |
| Size | 48 to 54 inches tall and wide |
| Bloom | Midsummer into late summer, roughly mid to late July through early September |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun for the most flowers; tolerates part shade |
| Wildlife | Great for pollinators and hummingbirds; moderately deer resistant |
Working it into a lavender garden
Many properties have a sunny spot that stays moist: the low end of a slope, the area around a downspout or a bed beside the lawn that gets regular water. Lavender would rot there; Candy Crush thrives. Because it behaves like a shrub, about four feet tall and wide, it can add height and screen a view while the lavender keeps the drier, higher ground.
Its big pink flowers take over in midsummer, just as lavender is finishing its main bloom, so the garden keeps a strong burst of color into late summer. Hummingbirds and bees visit the oversized blooms. Map wet and dry zones in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Soil: poor to fertile is fine, but moisture must be consistent.
- Water: deeply and often in hot spells. Flowering slows and leaves wilt if the soil dries out.
- Spring patience: it is very late to emerge, often not until late May or June. Mark the spot and do not dig it up.
- Cutback: cut the woody stems to a few inches in late fall or early spring.
- Pests: Japanese beetles, aphids and sawfly larvae are more common than disease. Leaf spot, rust and gray mold can appear in wet seasons.
The folded petal edges help the flowers stand up to wind better than many hibiscus.
Plug tray or bare root
Candy Crush is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, useful for screening or mass planting, and as a bare root plant for a single specimen. See each product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the tropical hibiscus sold as a houseplant?
No. Hardy hibiscus is a perennial that dies back each winter and returns from the roots, hardy in zones 4 to 9.
How long does each flower last?
Individual flowers are short-lived, but the plant opens new ones all along the stems for weeks. It is not a cut flower.
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