Mystery Yellow

[helixturnhelix]

I was at Paulino Gardens today in Denver and they had a very large tree hibiscus in their specimen area (not for sale)  There was no tag, but I think it is a large and old Heaven's Scent, which is a surprise to find in Colorado, but HS is pretty distinct and the foliage and flowers look just like my HS, the employee also said it blooms as a double.  Here are they pics, tell me what you think it is!

[Nievesgirl]

I agree that does look like HS omg thats a nice healthy plant !

[Charlie]

How about that! I hope you can get back over to that nursery later in the year to see more blooms. If it is Heaven Scent, and it sure looks like it could be, I bet it came from wholesale grower Zoe's Tropicals. They make tree standards and I did sell them Heaven's Scent back when they were buying grafted liners from me. They usually grow Seminole Pink or other vigorous garden varieties to a height of 4 feet of so, trained as a tree, and then graft an exotic hibiscus to the top. You might not be able to see the graft at this late date but it still may show a subtle line or change in wood color where it is.

Nice find, Chris!

Charlie

[helixturnhelix]

That is very interesting Charlie.  I really think it is, but I will probably go back again in the summer to see what it does.  It was a surprising find indeed!

[Charlie]

I think it is, too, Chris.

Right after we started this thread I heard from a nursery guy who told me that he had heard that William Gravitt of Zoe's Tropicals had died. I was shocked since I just talked to him last summer and since he was close to my age - late 50's - and an exercise fiend. I did some looking online and called his office which showed his phone disconnected so expected the worst. Then up popped his obituary showing that he died last September. I wrote a small eulogy for him and will post it here for now, but then move it somewhere yet undecided in the future. Some of you may find it interesting.

In Memoriam - William Gravitt

William Gravitt was not well known in the hibiscus community, but thousands of people bought and grew the grafted exotic hibiscus that came from his nursery, Zoe's Tropicals. For the last 8 years William shipped some of the best looking commercial hibiscus that anyone could ask for all over Florida and throughout the eastern USA. Sadly, William died suddenly when visiting relatives in Colombia last September. I spoke to him last July and though he was disappointed with the housing bust and its effect on his business he was still quite upbeat about hibiscus.

William was 59 and an avid runner when he passed, quite unexpectedly. He specialized in large pots of blooming exotic hibiscus, one of his favorites being 'Heaven Scent'. Coincidentally, a friend just last week sent me a photo of a large tree standard hibiscus of 'Heaven Scent' that he found at a nursery in Colorado (now posted in the HVH Forum). I have no doubt that this was William's work, as he loved to make tree standards once he learned how to do it. William was dedicated to grafted hibiscus, never wanting to make the switch to rooted ones. His first couple of years in the business he bought over 100,000 grafted liners from Hidden Valley Hibiscus until he could learn to do grafting on that scale himself. He was a world traveler, being in the import business between Africa and the USA before settling into growing hibiscus in Homestead, FL. His hibiscus will be missed by many as Zoe's Tropicals is now closed.

So long, William, may your path be accompanied by many bright blooms.

A photo from the South Florida Business Journal showing William at his nursery in Homestead and holding a pot of 'Heaven Scent' is attached. William is the guy on the right.

[Darkhorse]

Charlie that's very sad.  I did look for Zoe's online earlier this year as I wanted to find out if they had anything new for spring.  No wonder I couldn't find the website. 

[Charlie]

Yeah, sad indeed. Like many nurseries if the founder passes unexpectedly no one left is qualified or has the desire to continue it on. Zoe was William's wife but he was the dynamo who had a way of making things happen. It occurs to me that he may have pushed himself too hard but I don't really know what happened and am only speculating. I'm sure he was happy to have spent his last decade sending hibiscus out into the world for all to enjoy.

Charlie

[helixturnhelix]

That is really sad. Not very old at all, but at least he was doing something he loved.

[RainyDayWill]

Charlie,
  My name is William Gravitt also. William owner of Zoe's Tropicals was my father, and like you know he died suddenly a couple of years ago. Thank you for the eulogy you wrote, I can tell you must have known him well. He was the imagination and creator of some of the most beautiful and unique grafted hibiscus ever produced. Unfortunately there is nothing left of his nursery, though some of his passion for cultivated flowers lives on. I am no hibiscus specialist, but have my own cut flower greenhouses in Colorado.

I came across this discussion after a Google search of my dad's cultivars. What prompted the search was a discussion with a flower resaler who was interested in hibiscus. I showed them pictures of some of the plants produced at Zoe's and they were about floored. They especially liked The Path. After briefly looking at this site it seems that the plants produced at Zoe's may have had its origins at HVH. I'll keep looking around this site but hope that maybe we can do some business and keep producing beautiful plants.

[Charlie]

Hi William,

It's good to hear from you. I will send you a direct email response but please feel free to post anything you'd like to about hibiscus or your dad's experiences growing it commercially.

Best,

Charlie