Sea Hibiscus / Mahoe

Hibiscus tiliaceus

Beng / Hindi: Bola

A much-branched evergreen small tree, with branches spreading from quite close to the ground, giving a bushy appearance. Leaves are large, heart shaped on long stalks. Flower yellow bel-shaped with a dark crimson center. Yellow flower turns slowly reddish during the day before the falling off.

Bark: Smooth, pale

Leaf:  4-8’’, round in outline, heart-shaped, with a short pointy tip. Young leaves are reddish.

Flowers: Singly or in small cluster at the end of the branches. 5 yellow petals form a bell shape and the at the center there is crimson patch. Turns red towards evening and falls off.

Fruit: egg-shaped capsule, the size of a nutmeg, containing a few black seeds

Season: The flowers appear sporadically during most of the year, but particularly in the cold and hot seasons. The seeds ripen three or four months afterwards.

Range/habitat: Native of the beaches and tidal forests of most tropical coasts, including Bengal, forming dense thickets near the shore, and sometimes growing in places that are frequently flooded by salt water. Widely distributed all over the tropical coasts, from Northern Australia, Polynesia, southeast Asia, south Asia to Africa.  

Trivia and notes: As this tree a planted in gardens and public places (though not common), in many places there is confusion as to whether it is natural or introduced.

Where to Find: There is one in Victoria memorial compound 22.54288,88.34300