Florida flowers: Shoeblackplant hibiscus (and my little coronavirus update)

Shortly after the commencement of the coronavirus madness, a job I once loved swiftly became a job I hated with every fiber of my being. Just like a rotting birthday cake, the frosting on that cake ended up being everyone who kept telling me how trilled I should be to still have a job. My answer: screw that! I set about finding a new job and low and behold I did quickly find a new gig. One week I went to my old job and the next week I started my new job.

Many people with BPD have trouble with blowing jobs and then being jobless for extended periods of time… in the past this has indeed been the case for me too many times to count. So, I feel like I’ve definitly handled this in a manner that is perhaps approaching more normal grown-up behavior. My new job is certainly not my dream job but I can handle it far better than my once-beloved, rotting-old-birthday-cake job. Sometimes a person just has to buck up and roll with the punches.

Tropical hibiscus – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan
Tropical hibiscus – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan

Anywho, with little proper transition, I’ve had these beautiful hibiscus photos in my files for quite some time. Just like most of my photos, they were taken close by in the neighborhoods where I live. How wonderful it is to live with such beautiful flowers littered about all over the place here and there!

According to my PlantSnap app, these beautiful tropical hibiscus flowers are most likely classified as rosa-sinensis and known by the following names: Chinese hibiscus, China rose, Hawaiian hibiscus, rose mallow and of course the most interesting, shoeblackplant (I could find no info as how this name came about.) The Garden Lover’s Club refers to this particular variety as Palm Springs. I also found this link to a discussion by Hidden Valley Hibscus as to why the colors of hibiscus can widely vary depending on temperature and time of day. How interesting!

Indeed, careful observers might notice there seems to be noticible color variations. This is because I took a few photos one evening as the day’s light was quickly fading. I decided to go back the following morning and take more photos. Both created dramatic effects, although I have to say I kinda like the shadowy evening photos best.

Check out my previous photos of the beautiful red hibiscus. Also check out my archives of more Florida flower photos.

Tropical hibiscus – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan
Tropical hibiscus – Orlando, FL – JoAnn Ryan

30 thoughts on “Florida flowers: Shoeblackplant hibiscus (and my little coronavirus update)”

  1. Pingback: Seasonal transitions… and carnation pink hibiscus – Midnight Harmony

  6. Congratulations on giving the old cake the have-ho, Miss Havisham. before it caught fire and burned down the whole house. Quite an achievement too, amidst current, well, chaos.

    Striking colors on the hibiscus, naturally. As you recall, no doubt, we only can produce hibiscus up here in the summer, and in monotones at that. No such limitations for you, though, in your new home.

    Baffling choice of labels for the shoeblackplant. Unless, of course, the namers were playing at irony, though that doesn’t at all seem to be their typical M.O. Unless I completely misunderstand what it was a shoeblack did. Can’t say I’m totally familiar with Victorian job descriptions.

    Or, it’s possible I already have given this entirely too much thought already.

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    1. The history of words can be very interesting. I once got an A on a paper I wrote about the history of the word toilet and how it’s meaning has changed over the years. My professor actually read part of it in class. Not that I’m trying to brag but since I’ve spent so much time getting everything wrong in my life when I actually get something right it’s quit an amazing occurrence!
      I’m quite surprised that there isn’t more info on the orgin of shoeblackplant. I couldn’t even find anything from OED! Crazy. I think you may be onto something with the name deriving from a profession. I had thought more along the lines of someone using a part of the flower to make some kind of shoe polish. Who knows!

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      1. Not at all, JoAnn. An interesting story…by way of illustration…which I’m glad you shared.

        You selected a good word for your case study, as its meaning has meandered all over creation. I recall seeing a French painting from 250 years or so ago, titled, “La Comtesse du…at Her Morning Toilet.” Back then, the meaning encompassed applying makeup.

        In more modern times, “toiletries” is only a very slightly old-fashioned term for HBA items. Cosmeticians once owned the word, until plumbers wrested it from them.

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        1. It’s been quite a few years ago that I wrote that paper but I do recall having a lot of fun with all the meaning changes. If I remember right it was also used to describe some kind of linen or handkerchief at one time.
          Researching name origins can also be quite interesting

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  8. Oh, I love hibiscus! And such a beautiful colour combination!
    Unfortunately we can only grow them indoors in Denmark. Flower-wise you are very privileged … although I can’t complain either with all the tulips etc. coming up now.

    How great that you got a new job at such short notice! Congratulations!

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