What is the scientific name of the Chinese hibiscus?

The scientific name of the Chinese hibiscus is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. It is a tropical ornamental plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae, and is widely grown for its large, brightly colored flowers. The blooms may be red, pink, orange, yellow, or multicolored, depending on the cultivar.

The name rosa-sinensis literally means “rose of China,” although the plant is not a true rose and belongs to a completely different botanical family. Modern botanical references often write the name as Hibiscus × rosa-sinensis, emphasizing that the cultivated plant is a hybrid or cultigen rather than a naturally occurring wild species in the usual sense.

Carl Linnaeus described it in 1753 in Species Plantarum, using cultivated specimens associated with the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. Research summarized in modern references identifies it as an artificial hybrid developed in the western Pacific before European colonization, involving Hibiscus cooperi and Hibiscus kaute.

The Chinese hibiscus is especially important culturally. It is Malaysia’s national flower, where it is called bunga raya, and it is also associated with Haiti. It is sometimes confused with roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa, which is better known for its edible calyces and tart herbal drinks.