Texas Star Hibiscus: A Marijuana Look-Alike with Stunning Red Blooms

A reader suggests that a previously unidentified plant—described as having marijuana-like leaves, red flowers that last one day, growing 10 feet tall annually, and producing seed pods with ~30 seeds—is likely Hibiscus coccineus, known as Texas Star. The expert, based in southern New Jersey, had never seen a hibiscus with cannabis-like foliage or single-day blooms but acknowledges the match. He notes that the only hardy hibiscus in his area is rose-of-sharon, and expresses delight at learning something new.