Hibiscus The word hibiscus derived from the ancient Greek hibiskos, the name for the plant known as marsh mallow or white mallow. Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing more than 200 species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. By recent count about 220 species of annuals, perennials, herbs, shrubs and trees belong to the genus Hibiscus. This is a genus of great diversity. Some hibiscuses originated in tropical regions of the world,