Malvaviscus penduliflorus - Cardinal's Hat or Lipstick Hibiscus

This plant was another that was a standard shrub in Queensland gardens in my grandma's day - it's a bit of an old-fashioned thing and you don't see many of them in gardens any more.

I have this in a pot in UK which comes inside for the winter. I find it mildly upsetting that the flowers never come fully open before they expire. I brought the cutting from Queensland.

Just caught up with your comment Heather ... sorry must have missed it back in August somehow! It is an unusual bloom isn't it ... never quite opening! How on earth did you get the cutting into the UK? Are they not as strict about bringing in plants as Oz is?

We are allowed to bring plants into UK, but Australia is very careful about taking food or plants into the country. My cutting came from your area actually. I would say UK has suffered because of its lax laws with all kinds of pests which come in. I was stopped at Cairns because I had a packet of polo mints in my bag and had to have these confiscated.

Bernie have you got a lemon myrtle? I haven't noticed one of these in your garden.

Had to chuckle over the polo mints ... what on earth did they think was being haboured in those I wonder!! No Heather I don't have the lovely lemon myrtle ... yet ... it has been on my list for a while but I'm running out of places where I can plant things now! It's hard work creating garden beds at my place - it's all rock!