11 Orange Hibiscus Varieties to Brighten Your Garden

Orange is a color associated with energy and optimism. It’s hard to look at a bright orange flower without feeling at least a little bit optimistic. It is this color that falls somewhere between red and yellow, that many brands use to communicate a positive message, and it is commonly linked to feelings of motivation, rejuvenation, and encouragement.

Hibiscuses are a hardy and adaptable genus of plants that happen to come in quite a few shades of this happy hue. With a wide range of varieties, there are hibiscus plants that tolerate the heat of zone 11 in summer, and others that can handle the cold of zone 4 in winter. There are several hundred species of Hibiscus in dozens of color combinations.

Hibiscuses make wonderful hedges, small trees, and excellent container plants. These bountiful summer bloomers can whisk you away to a tropical paradise with a single glance. Here are 11 of my favorite orange hibiscus varieties for your viewing pleasure.

‘Apricot Brandy’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Apricot Brandy’
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 8’-10’
	hardiness zones 9-10

This is one delicious-sounding hibiscus variety. Did you know that hibiscus flowers are edible, and commonly made into teas and desserts? This wonderful cultivar is a tropical variety, preferring warm weather and loads of sunlight.

At heights up to 10’ tall, it makes a great privacy hedge and can be trained into the shape of a small tree or espalier as well.

This variety sports a stunning double-petal form that blooms in a golden, peachy hue, much like the color of the fruit after which it was named. The center is a soft peony-like confection of ruffled petals with a long and visible stigma. The throat of the flowers has a reddish cast which adds dimension, and the serrated leaves are bright green.

‘Cheri’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Cheri’
	sun requirements Full to Part Sun
	height 7’
	hardiness zones 10-11

‘Lovely Cheri’ is a medium-sized shrub with an upright, spreading habit. Its colorful flowers are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds as well as being self-seeding.

Because of its size, it makes a great container plant, which is great news for anyone living North of zone 10. This is a true tropical hibiscus, and it will not tolerate drought or freezing weather.

Cheri’s blooms are particularly colorful and bright. The classic, single-petal flowers are light, almost neon orange. A magenta eye stands out in the center and a faint white ring separates the two colors. These blooms are among the most colorful and cheerful in the genera.

‘Electric Orange’

	botanical name Hibiscus x ‘Electric Orange’
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 8’
	hardiness zones 9-11

This variety may have some of the brightest orange flowers on a shrub that I have ever seen. The name Electric fits to a tee. The blooms are a glowing, reddish-orange, and in the center is a bright white flash of light that radiates through the rest of the flower in bright yellow veins.

These blooms genuinely look as if they are lit from within and will last all season long with proper maintenance. The flowers are moderately large (6”-8” in diameter) and stand out against the smooth, shiny, bright green foliage.

The edges of the leaves are smooth which is a less common characteristic for hibiscuses. This hybrid is rare, but has great promise, and tolerates the summer heat very well.

‘Fiesta’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Fiesta’
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 8’
	hardiness zones 9-11

The ‘Fiesta’ Hibiscus is a year-round party with its extra-long blooming period. This tropical beauty likes to be well watered and needs a lot of sun to produce its wonderful flowers.

Fiesta is a moderate grower; it is evergreen in warm climates and as a houseplant. It grows to between 6’-8’ tall and has large, glossy foliage with irregular edges.

Fiesta’s blooms are tangerine colored with just a hint of pink in the throat, fading to white streaks mid-petal. The edges of the petal are especially fancy and ruffled, and the stigma is topped with a spray of yellow, pollen-covered stamens.

‘High Definition’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘High Definition’
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 5’
	hardiness zones 9-11

This Cajun series variety of orange hibiscus is a hybrid and sterile, so it cannot be grown from seed, it must be propagated from cuttings. It likes plenty of sunshine and prefers not to be overwatered. Low-growing with a lot of branches, this variety has plenty of room to bloom, and what a fancy bloomer it is!

The flowers are mid-sized for a hibiscus, but that means that they are still 6” in diameter. They are fully double-petaled and share the peony appearance that we saw in Apricot Brandy. There is nothing soft about the color of these blooms though.

These bright orange blooms are splotched and speckled with yellow. This variety is slow growing and difficult to propagate, so it tends to be more expensive, but well worth it.

‘Jane Cowl’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Jane Cowl’
	sun requirements Full to Part Sun
	height 6’-8’
	hardiness zones 10-11

‘Jane Cowl’ gets a late start on the season, but once it gets started it is a fast grower and blooms through the summer and into fall. It likes full sun but will do just fine in a partially shaded spot. Jane is tropical, so it is best kept as a container plant when grown north of zone 9. It is a very showy cultivar with lots of colorful appeal.

Jane’s flowers are in double-petal form and are warm, rosy-peach color. A hint of pink warms the center of the blooms with their fancy, ruffled petals.

The bright green, serrated foliage makes for a color combination that screams ‘Tropical Vacation.’ What’s not to love about a flower that transports you to a sunny beach?

‘Magic Moments’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Magic Moments’
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 6’
	hardiness zones 9-11

Another member of the Cajun series, this next hibiscus joins High Definition in origin and has a very similar appearance. The large, double-petaled blooms are truly breathtaking in an indescribable way. I will try my best, but I think the picture will do most of the talking for Magic Moments.

Magic is a mid-sized plant that produces flowers that look like a sunset. Warm salmon pink intermingles with deep orange and gold.

These blooms are among the largest hibiscus flowers, clocking in at around 8”-10” in diameter. The ruffled swirls of petals obscure the stigma and stamens. This is quite an impressive specimen.

‘Orange Lion’s Tail’

	botanical name Hibiscus El Capitola Sport
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 5’
	hardiness zones 9-11

The ‘Lion’s Tail’ hibiscuses are an interesting bunch. These plants are not hybrids, but rather, a naturally occurring genetic mutation gives them their signature look. The orange variety is a peaches and cream shade with a bright red throat that bleeds pink throughout the petals.

‘Lion’s Tail’ hibiscus flowers are known for their narrow, tapered petals, but even more for their unique and flashy stigma.

The stigma of these blooms is long and white and sports a second set of ruffled petals at the end, like a fluffy pom-pom. The foliage is bright green and serrated.

‘Orange Seduction’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Orange Seduction’
	sun requirements Full to Part Sun
	height 4’
	hardiness zones 10-11

This compact and colorful variety is densely branching, making it a beautiful small hedge or focal point in the tropical garden, as well as a stunning container plant.

Its blooming period is long, lasting from spring through fall, making it a popular cultivar. The foliage is smooth and bright green, setting off the striking blooms in all of their pollinator-attracting glory.

The flowers can range in shade, but typically they are true orange with some variations of lighter and darker shading. A pale pink throat showcases a stigma of the same shade, surrounded by golden pollen. The petals have a ruffled and crepe-like texture as well.

‘Orange Sunset Wind’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Orange Sunset Wind’
	sun requirements Full to Part Sun
	height 10’
	hardiness zones 9-11

This gorgeous variety takes us on a return to the classic, single-petal form most commonly associated with hibiscus flowers. The large, round blooms are slightly trumpet-shaped, with petals that whorl around like a pinwheel.

The color is bold, pinkish orange, with a deep red eye at the center. The stigma is orange with a smattering of pollen at the tip.

Orange ‘Sunset Wind’ is another tropical variety, so if grown outside of zones 9-11 it is best to plant in a container.

In tropical climates, it will behave as an evergreen but will lose its leaves and act as a perennial in cooler climates. It is not frost tolerant, so it can’t be left outdoors in freezing weather. This variety likes to be watered often and well.

‘Pumpkin Pie’

	botanical name Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Pumpkin Pie’
	sun requirements Full to Part Sun
	height 6’
	hardiness zones 9-11

‘Pumpkin Pie’ is a quirky hybrid whose parentage includes a pink variety, giving the pumpkin-colored flowers a pretty, pink eye. The blooms are extra-large, at up to 10” in diameter. Additionally, the petals have a crepe-like texture, adding yet another layer of uniqueness to the cultivar.

Also unique to this variety is its year-round blooming habit. In tropical climates, ‘Pumpkin Pie’ is evergreen and has a very long and persistent blooming habit. This hybrid is rarer and more difficult to find than most of its orange cousins.