Santa Cruz Blue Hibiscus Bush with purple flowers in a garden setting

Santa Cruz Blue Hibiscus

5 Gallon
$69.00
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Santa Cruz Blue Hibiscus Bush with purple flowers in a garden setting
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Santa Cruz Blue Hibiscus

Alyogyne huegelii 'Santa Cruz'

A tough, fast-growing evergreen prized for its long season of rare blue flowers and exceptional tolerance to drought and salt.

$69.00
Size

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Bay Area–Based Nursery

We specialize in plants grown and delivered in their original pots and soil.
Because of their size and weight, our plants are not suitable for long-distance shipping and are delivered locally to ensure health and quality.

While delivery is limited to our local service area, we’re happy to support garden design and plant selection remotely.

For local plant professionals, we’re always glad to connect and explore ways to support your customers.

Santa Cruz Blue Hibiscus is a standout drought-tolerant shrub that brings a rare and captivating shade of blue to the garden. Contrary to its common name, it is not a true hibiscus (Hibiscus), but its large, satiny flowers are strikingly similar in form. From spring through fall, and nearly year-round in mild climates, it produces an abundance of large, luminous, lavender-blue blossoms with a delicate, papery texture. Its deeply lobed, gray-green foliage adds a soft, textural contrast. Exceptionally resilient to heat, salt, and poor soil, it is a premier low-water plant for coastal and Mediterranean-style landscapes.

  • Rare & Vibrant Blue Blooms: Produces a prolific display of large, 3-4 inch wide, hibiscus-like flowers in a beautiful, clear lavender-blue hue—a unique color in the drought-tolerant shrub palette.

  • Extremely Long Blooming Season: Flowers heavily in spring and fall, with sporadic blooms throughout the summer and even in mild winters, providing nearly year-round color.

  • Exceptional Drought & Salt Tolerance: Once established, it thrives with minimal water and is highly tolerant of coastal winds, salty air, and alkaline soils.

  • Fast-Growing & Airy Habit: Develops quickly into an open, somewhat loose shrub with multiple woody stems, reaching 5-8 feet tall and wide.

  • Perfect for Water-Wise Gardens: An ideal choice for xeriscapes, Mediterranean gardens, coastal properties, and as a colorful, informal screen that requires almost no supplemental irrigation.

Knowing how we measure the size?

Knowing how we measure the size?

When browsing our plants, you may notice size terms such as Gallon, Multi, or Stand. These describe how a plant is grown, containerized, or structured at the time of sale — not just its height. Understanding these terms will help you choose the right plant for your space and expectations.

🌱 Gallon Size (Container Size)

Gallon refers to the size of the nursery container the plant is currently growing in (e.g. 1 Gallon, 5 Gallon, 15 Gallon).

  • A larger gallon size generally means:

    • A more established root system

    • A sturdier plant

    • Faster visual impact after planting

  • Example:

    • 5 Gallon: Ideal for residential gardens, easy to handle, good balance of value and maturity

    • 15 Gallon: More mature, provides quicker results in the landscape

Note: Gallon size does not guarantee a specific height, as growth varies by species.


🌳 Multi (Multi-Trunk / Multi-Branch Form)

Multi indicates the plant has multiple trunks or main stems growing from the base.

  • Commonly used for:

    • Ornamental trees

    • Feature plants

    • Japanese maples, olives, crepe myrtles, etc.

  • Why choose Multi:

    • Fuller, more sculptural appearance

    • Strong visual presence even at younger ages

    • Popular for design-focused landscapes


🌲 Stand (Single-Trunk / Standard Form)

Stand (short for Standard) refers to a single, dominant trunk with a raised or naturally formed canopy.

  • Commonly used for:

    • Shade trees

    • Street trees

    • Orchard and structural plantings

  • Why choose Stand:

    • Clean, classic tree form

    • Easier clearance for walkways and lawns

    • Preferred for long-term structure and uniformity


🌿 Choosing the Right Size

  • If you want instant impact → larger Gallon, Multi form

  • If you want long-term structure → Stand form

  • If you want flexibility and value → mid-size Gallon containers

If you’re unsure which size or form fits your project, our team is happy to help you select the best option based on your space, timeline, and design goals.

Quick facts
  • Features:Foliage: Deeply lobed, palmate, rough-textured, gray-green leaves.Flowers: Large, glossy, lavender-blue flowers resembling classic hibiscus blooms.Habit: Evergreen shrub with a rounded, bushy habit. Drought and salt tolerant, withstands coastal winds, and blooms nearly year-round in favorable climates.
  • Mature Height: 5–8 ft
    Mature Width: 5–8 ft
  • Growth Rate: Moderate
  • Light Needs: Full sun
  • Key Advantages:Stunning, large blue-violet flowers over a very long season.Highly drought and salt tolerant.Evergreen foliage provides year-round structure.Attracts pollinators
  • Landscape Uses:Mediterranean and xeriscape gardens.Coastal and seaside landscapes.Mixed shrub borders.Specimen or focal point planting.Tropical-themed gardens (in appropriate climates)
FAQs

Q: How is it different from a tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)?
A: Key differences are hardiness and originAlyogyne huegelii is a drought-tolerant, frost-tolerant (to about 20-25°F) perennial shrub from Australia. Tropical hibiscus is frost-tender, thirstier, and has glossy green leaves. They share a similar flower shape but have different cultural needs.

Q: How should it be pruned?
A: Prune in late winter to early spring to maintain shape and encourage dense, bushy growth. It can be cut back fairly hard (by one-third to one-half) if it becomes too leggy. Regular deadheading of spent flowers is not necessary but can promote more blooms.

Browse online or get recommendations

Shop by collection, or message us with photos and measurements of your space for tailored suggestions.

Place your order & schedule delivery

Choose your trees and preferred delivery window. Most Bay Area orders are delivered within about 10 business days, depending on routing and weather.

We deliver carefully to your property

Our drivers are trained to handle living plants, not just boxes. For many trees, we can set them in place near the planting site.

Grow with our ongoing support

You’ll receive basic care guidelines, and you can always reach out if you’re unsure about watering, fertilizing, or pruning.

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