Trees or shrubs, erect, 3-8 m tall, deciduous, entire plant densely strigose and scabrous, not stellate, hairs ca. 3 mm. Petiole 14-17 cm; leaf blade suborbicular, papery, lobes 3-5, broadly triangular, serrate or dentate. Flowers solitary, axillary on upper branches. Pedicel 11-13 cm. Epicalyx lobes 8, filiform, 8-12 × 1.5-2 mm, stellate puberulent, apex acute. Corolla white, sometimes with purple center, very broadly funnel-shaped, 6-9 cm; petals nearly orbicular, 4-5 cm in diam., connate at base, villous, claw bearded.

Hibiscus taiwanensis is very similar to H. mutabilis and differs only in having a hispid and scabrous, not stellate tomentose, indumentum. It has been suggested that the two might not be specifically distinct.

● Taiwan (Alishan).