Sweeten Your Garden With The Cookies And Cream Flowering Shrub That Hummingbirds Love

It's hard to resist the allure of a luscious tropical hibiscus. Fortunately for all those who don't happen to live in a warm, humid climate, there is a version of these exotic-looking blooms that thrives in colder zones. It is known as hardy hibiscus, or rose mallow. While traditional rose mallow mimics the warm pinks and purples of tropical hibiscus flowers, there is now a new variety in town and its unique coloring (and name) is reminiscent of an iconic sweet treat: cookies and cream.

'Cookies and Cream' rose mallow produces a crisp, pure white flower against the backdrop of dark purple — nearly black — foliage and can be grown as a perennial in zones 4 through 9. The more sun exposure it receives, the deeper the color of its foliage becomes. Like all rose mallow, these trumpet-shaped flowers are loved for their massive blooms by pollinators and will attract whimsical hummingbirds to your yard or garden. Consider this your guide to growing your own striking 'Cookies and Cream' hardy hibiscus shrub. 

Hardy hibiscus is not a particularly high-maintenance plant to grow; however, it does require some specific circumstances to thrive. The most important aspects of choosing where to plant your new shrub are sun exposure and space. These plants require six or more hours of full sun exposure per day in order for it produce the maximum number of blooms and for the foliage to deepen to a deep blackish hue that offers the full cookies and cream experience.

While 'Cookies and Cream' rose mallow is a small variety of hardy hibiscus, you can still expect it to grow to at least 3 feet tall and up to 4 feet wide. This means that each shrub will need plenty of space to spread out (and up) as it grows. If you're planting more than one 'Cookies and Cream' hardy hibiscus, be sure to space them at least 42 inches apart. And if you're adding them to a landscape, give them plenty of room because this hardy shrub will compete with and eventually overpower other perennials. 

Hardy hibiscus shrubs love water just as much as they love direct sunlight. Plan on deeply watering your 'Cookies and Cream' rose mallow immediately after planting and whenever the soil or root ball starts to feel dry during its first two seasons. Once the plant is established, you will only need to water it when conditions are dry and its leaves appear wilted. You can help the plant's roots stay moist by spreading a couple of inches of mulch around its base. For best results, feed your 'Cookies and Cream' hardy hibiscus with a slow-release fertilizer in early spring.

Rose mallow is susceptible to infestation by pests like Japanese beetles, aphids, and thrips. If you see bugs on your plant or notice evidence that they have been feasting on the shrub during your absence, an insecticide application may be necessary (purchase a commercially prepared product or make your own DIY insecticidal soap to keep pesky aphids and spider mites off your plants). Hardy hibiscus shrubs don't require any pruning to thrive. However, you can prune them in fall or winter to control their size and shape or in early summer to encourage more growth.