The Confederate Rose

It's a native of China but is called the Confederate Rose in the southern U.S.

 The large, double blossoms open white but gradually change to pink 

and almost blood red before dying. They were grown in English gardens

 in the 1600s and planted in the South during Reconstruction because 

they were easy to root and grow during hard economic times. 

They bloom in early autumn.

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs 

The Rose of Autumn

Fall is the best season for the Confederate Rose, and it blooms until frost. However, this one is blooming after frost due to some shelter and location on the south side of our house. A type of hibiscus, the flower turns from white to pink to deep rosy red, lending credence to its name. Legend says that it is stained by the blood of a Confederate soldier.

The Confederate Rose

The Confederate Rose is popular in southern gardens. A type of hibiscus, the large shrub is related to cotton and okra. When it first blooms in late summer, the blossoms are white on the first day, rosy pink on the second day and bluish pink on the third day. It blooms until frost and is killed back with a hard freeze. But it returns in the spring, bigger and more glorious than the year before!