Market Street, United Supermarkets in Texas celebrate an exclusive hibiscus

A few regional stores in Texas are getting an exclusive local hibiscus flower for the July 4 weekend.

Market Street and United Supermarkets in Vernon, Wichita Falls and the Dallas Fort Worth areas of Texas will be getting a Hardy Hibiscus, a flower bred locally in Vernon by Texas A&M AgriLife. The retailer said Vernon itself is working to be the hibiscus capital of Texas.

The Hardy Hibiscus flower stays in bloom from the summer months until the first frost and features large steel blue petals and a dark red center. The Hardy Hibiscus is heat tolerant, comes back from the ground every spring, attracts pollinators, and only requires watering two to three times a week.

Bradley Gaines, business director of floral for the United Family, said the Hardy Hibiscus is a phenomenal flower for Texas gardeners because of its ability to be in direct sunlight for six or more hours. “Not only is this flower beautiful, but it is very versatile,” he said. “It can be in direct sunlight for a long portion of the day while also only requiring minimal watering throughout the week. Another bonus to this flower is that it attracts all kinds of pollinators to the garden.”

When shoppers buy one of the flowers at the stores, they are supporting the local efforts of Texas A&M AgriLife directly, the retailer said, and finding this type of flower can be challenging for gardeners, as nurseries are rarely able to carry them.

The United Family of supermarkets consists of 97 stores under five unique banners and is a subsidiary of Albertsons.