Hibiscus, a favorite flower

Growing up in the fully four season north of New York State I did not see a hibiscus until I was a student in college, in the early 1970's. The very first hibiscus that I ever saw was "in the wild" while I was bird watching in Corkscrew Swamp in Florida. I was walking along the boardwalk in the nature sanctuary and was amazed at this glimpse of orange, and when I got closer realized that it was my first hibiscus. I always thought it was so cool that the first one that I saw was in the wild and not cultivated!

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hibiscus_rosa-sinensis_(bloom).JPG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corkscrew_Swamp_Sanctuary