Hibiscus ‘Panama Red’

* Common name: Hibiscus ‘Panama Red’

* Botanical name: Hibiscus acetosella ‘Panama Red’

* What it is: An upright, bushy tropical with dark-red, serrated leaves. Few, if any, hibiscus flowers, but who needs them with beautifully colored and shaped leaves like these?

* Size: 3 to 4 feet tall, 2 feet wide

* Where to use: Ideal as a pot centerpiece. Also can be planted in a sunny border bed. Very heat-tolerant. Loves sun.

* Care: In ground, water every few days early, then only every week or two if no rain. A scattering of organic flower fertilizer once a month is plenty. In a pot, check for water daily and fertilize half-strength with a balanced liquid fertilizer every few waterings. Remove shoots if plant is getting too “fat.” Yank when frost kills it.

* Great partner: In a pot, add a few pink or red trailers around the edge, such as petunias or verbena. In ground, red celosia or ‘Profusion’ or ‘Zahara’ zinnias pair nicely.