There is no shortage of beautiful blooms in the Northeast, but many are small, spring ephemerals or otherwise "weedy" tall open-habitat plants. However, one plant native to the region is so beautiful it looks borderline out of place, or otherwise planted intentionally. Hibiscus moshuetos - also known as "Swamp Rose Mallow" or "Hardy Hibiscus" is a true native to the eastern coastal plane with sporadic occurrences in the Midwest. Appearing downright tropical, it is a member of a genus and family that are much more common in the tropics than snowy northern regions! A plant I picked to highlight for its aesthetics, I hope you too become enraptured by its beauty!
To find out more about the Urban Rivers Project: www.urbanriv.org/