Alyogyne huegelii

Common Name – Australian Hibiscus, Blue Hibiscus

Family - Malvaceae

Alyogyne huegelii was named after the soldier and botanist Baron Karl Alexander Anselm Hugel, an Austrian, who lived between 1796 and 1820. During his lifetime he introduced many plants from Australia into his botanical garden in Austria. People had never seen such plants before and they were greatly admired by many gardeners from all over Europe.

Alyogyne huegelii was one of those plants.  An Australian native shrub, it was at first thought to be a hibiscus as it a member of the Malvaceae family to which the hibiscus also belongs. However the beautiful light mauve flowers generally flower longer than the single-day blooms of the hibiscus and the leaves can sometimes be scented. The pistil and stamens of the alyogyne are not as long or showy as hibiscus flowers and do not have a dark centre but they are more floriferous with the flowers appearing earlier in the season than Hibiscus rose-sinensis, sometimes lasting for three or four weeks.

Classified as a desert plant or one for arid areas, alyogyne absolutely hates wet conditions and needs only protection from strong winds. Once it is firmly established it requires little watering except perhaps in the heat of the summer. Prune to maintain a good shape after flowering otherwise the bush can become very straggly and unattractive. It is certainly a showstopper in many gardens here in springtime.