These plants are a complete dud. They look nothing like the promised color.

What do you mean, Clint? I see your pics in the database and they look great.

Karen,
If you enlarge this photo and compare the plant tag in lower left to the actual flower, you can see that the tag is a coral color, and the flower is basically pink.

If I recall correctly, someone had asked the grower about the color, and was informed that the coral color only appears when the temps are over 100°F. That means I will probably never see it.

The problem is they are supposed to be a totally different color. They are just pink. It's not even a good pink to be honest.

I asked a hibiscus hybridizer about how Texas A&M could have come up with what appears to be 4 completely novel colors in just a few years. I was informed that usually doesn't happen without the use of mutagens - radiation such as X-rays or DNA altering chemicals used on the seeds. Traits that appear in this manner are less likely to be stable than natural mutations. Texas A&M would certainly have access to that technology, but would not be required to report its use.

There is a voluntary international registry for cultivars of all kinds produced by these techniques. I was surprised to see some of the entries. Much more reporting was done in the 70's when it was "new and shiny" and something to brag about. Now with complaints about the use of GMO, it seems the self reporting has become less popular.

Note - mutagenesis is alteration of existing DNA. GMO involves adding new DNA. "Mutagens" in higher doses can be carcinogens (causing cancer). This has been well documented in the early overuse of x-rays in humans.

I think their main problem is they take their photos of their plants in a greenhouse. I noticed the leaves have a lot more yellow in them in their photos. I do like that they are trying to come up with new colors though. The blue ones are not really that blue, but they still are unique. This one shouldn't have been released though. It is not unique at all.

but I'll keep mine anyway. Now to get my hands on one of the bluish ones.