What is a confederate rose plant?

The Confederate rose, Hibiscus mutabilis, is a flowering mallow native to China that grows in zones 7 to 10 in the United States. In zones 7 and 8, it behaves like a perennial; in zones 9 through 10, it is more like a shrub or a tree.

The flowers on a Confederate rose are double and 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Each flower is white when it begins blooming in the morning, gradually deepening in color during the day until reaching its peak color in the evening. Varieties include the pink-blooming Flora Plena and the deeper red Rubrus. Confederate roses can be grown in full sun or partial shade, and the flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.