Overview

Scarlet Rosemallow is a Florida-native wetland perennial with dramatic red flowers and finely divided leaves that give it a bold, airy texture.

Mature Size and Habit

It sends up multiple upright herbaceous stems from a perennial crown and may die back in winter before returning in warm weather. Plan for an established size of about 4 to 7 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide.

Best Landscape Uses

Use it in rain gardens, pond margins, moist native beds, pollinator gardens, seasonal screens, or grouped as a summer flowering accent.

Sunlight

Full sun gives the strongest stems and flowering, while partial sun is acceptable if the site remains bright for much of the day.

Soil, Drainage, and Irrigation

Moist to wet, organic soil is ideal, and the plant can tolerate periodic standing water; do not place it in a dry unirrigated bed.

Best Planting Season for Tampa and Central Florida

Plant in spring or early fall when warm soil and reliable moisture support rapid rooting without severe heat stress.

Pruning and Maintenance

Cut dormant or freeze-damaged stems to the crown in late winter, stake only if exposure causes leaning, and remove seed capsules when spread is unwanted.

Wildlife Value

The red flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, making the plant especially useful near water and native habitat plantings.

Cold and Heat Sensitivity

It thrives in summer heat with abundant moisture and naturally retreats after frost or short days, returning from protected roots in spring.

Safety, Roots, and Placement Warnings

No major landscape toxicity or aggressive woody-root concern is known, but tall stems can lean into paths and wet planting zones may be slippery.

Invasive Concerns

This species is native to Florida and is not invasive, although rhizomes and seedlings can form a colony in consistently moist soil.

Helpful Resources

For identification, care, and Florida landscape context, review NC State Extension's Scarlet Rosemallow profile. Site conditions vary, so use local soil, drainage, and exposure observations to refine care.