Dancing Fire

[chops]

Hi Charlie,

I was at your open house yesterday and was taken by the flower Dancing Fire.  I didn't see this particular hibiscus on your website, so I was wondering if this is a new cultivar?  If so, what can you tell us about it?

[Charlie]

Hi Chops, you're not the only one who finds Dancing Fire a standout. It's probably been the most awarded hibiscus at hibiscus shows in recent years. Certainly the most awarded double flower since Amber Suzanne over a decade ago. It is a huge double flower from parents Magician's Hat x Rebellious Spirit, hybridized by a hobbyist in Florida.

Unfortunately, Rebellious Spirit passes on terrible bush traits to most of its offspring. It is a huge red and white single that I used to hybridize with and in fact got some excellent flowers like Pomp and Circumstance but also ended up with difficult bushes. 

Dancing Fire has one of the worst bushes I have grown in years - although it might make a decent hanging basket if one is interested in growing it that way. It does branch fairly well, an improvement on some R. Spirit's offspring, but as soon as they are long enough to bud up the stems fall over the side. The huge flowers of Dancing Fire drag the branches down even lower and most of the flowers end up facing toward the ground where they cannot be seen.

However, hibiscus flowers can always be picked and used to decorate house, patio, and other places where one might want a showy flower and for this purpose Dancing Fire would be excellent. I only grafted a few this year but the response to the flowers on display at the Open House was so good for this variety that I think I will graft more of them for next year.

Charlie