The Hibiscus Tree. Perhaps no flower has a greater power to evoke the tropics than the hibiscus.
The vivid colors, silky petals, and proliferation of blooms make the hibiscus a striking complement to a garden.
The fact that a hibiscus tree is a relatively low-maintenance, easy-to-care-for plant has made it popular all over the world. Even in cold climates, it can thrive in containers and produce gorgeous blooms year after year. Hibiscus blossoms also produce a soothing and nutritious tea.
How to Grow Hardy Hibiscus
- Climate: Hardy to Zone 4. Does not transplant very well, so choose your location carefully.
- Light: Full Sun.
- Soil: Well-draining and rich. Loves water and should remain moist in summer. Grows naturally near ditches and swamps. During the winter, however, the roots should not be soggy. Add mulch to hold in moisture and prevent damage from late spring frosts.
- Fertilizer: Hardy hibiscus is a heavy feeder. Organic fertilizers with plenty of phosphorus will encourage blooms.
- Flowers: Blooms in July and August. Each flower is short-lived, but there are plenty more to come.
In the fall or late winter, cut back the dead stems of hardy hibiscus to near ground level. Compared to other perennials, this plant can be a little late to sprout in the spring, but by midsummer it will be sprawling several feet high. Stake long stems if needed.
In addition to Hibiscus moscheutos, other perennial hibiscus species include the slender petals of Scarlet Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus) and the ruffled pink blossoms of Confederate Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis). If you live near water, try growing the marsh-loving Giant Rose Mallow (Hibiscus grandiflora).
Caring for Your Hibiscus Tree
Watering
The Hibiscus tree is an especially thirsty plant. Most commonly, the Hibiscus is kept outside in a container, as decoration on a front porch or on decks and terraces. When kept in a container outside, you can expect to be watering your Hibiscus around three times a week. During hot summers with long sunny days, you may even need to water your Hibiscus every day.
When you water it, thoroughly saturate the soil until water runs out of the drainage holes. Just be sure to empty the drip tray once all of the excess water has run out of the container, as despite being very thirsty plants, Hibiscus do not like to sit in water. To prevent overwatering, ensure that the top layer of soil is dry to the touch before you proceed with watering the plant. If the soil is still fairly moist on top, then it doesn’t need another watering just yet. As the Hibiscus likes to drink a lot of water, and will, therefore, be being watered very frequently, it’s important that your plant has good drainage in place to prevent the roots from sitting in water and developing root rot.
Use a soil that drains very well, and make sure your container pot has several drainage holes in the bottom for excess water to leak out of. If you’re using a drip tray, keep on top of emptying it to prevent the plant from ever having to sit in stagnant water.
Temperature
This plant enjoys warm temperatures, ideally, between 60 and 80° F. It can tolerate lows of around 50° F but should be brought indoors if temperatures drop any lower than this. The Hibiscus also struggles with exceptionally hot temperatures and will struggle if the thermometer goes over the 90° F mark. It’s common for Hibiscus plants kept in containers to be brought into the house during colder months. If you do this, bring the plant inside before the first frost arrives, as the Hibiscus can be destroyed by frost.
Keep the plant in a warm and sunny spot during fall and winter, and then, move it back outside as soon as overnight temperatures get above 50° F. The Hibiscus doesn’t respond well to sudden temperature changes, so when kept inside, ensure it is away from areas which experience cold drafts, such as entryways. When it’s time for the Hibiscus to return to life outside, you can help it acclimatize by making it a gradual process. Place the plant outside for a few hours each day and then, bring it back inside overnight. Gradually increase the time the plant spends outside over a number of weeks, at which point you can then leave it outside on a full-time basis.
Light
The Hibiscus tree enjoys full sunlight and will need plenty of it if you want it to produce an abundance of flowers. When kept outside, ideally, you should situate your Hibiscus in a position which benefits from full sun for the whole length of the day. If this isn’t possible, place it somewhere with the maximum amount of direct sunlight you can achieve for it.
If you bring your Hibiscus inside during colder months, it will be happiest sat in a bright and sunny window. When you return the plant outside as the temperatures heat up again, you will need to start off by placing it in partial shade and gradually increasing its time back into full sun. A sudden change from indoor light to full sun outside could cause the plant to react badly and lose leaves, so gradually reintroducing it back into long hours of direct sun will help it to acclimatize and reduce any unnecessary stress and strain on the plant.
Propagation
The easiest and most successful method of propagating a Hibiscus is with stem cuttings. You will need to identify an immature branch on the mother plant, which should still be slightly soft and have some leaves on it. Prune it from the mother plant, ensuring you have a stem cutting of at least four inches in length. Pot the stem into a growing medium, first dipping the cut end in rooting hormone if you wish.
Keep the cutting moist and cover it over to increase humidity and create a greenhouse effect. You can use a glass jar turned upside down or improvise with a plastic bag. When new growth begins to show on the external part of the cutting, it means that roots will have formed at the other end. Once this happens, you can transfer it to a new pot and continue care as usual. Propagating like this will result in a new plant identical to the mother plant.
Seed propagation is also possible but somewhat less successful than using stem cuttings. To propagate with seeds, simply place them in soil and then add more soil over the top. Keep the soil moist and wait for seedlings to appear, which should be in approximately four weeks.
Pests, Diseases, Or Problems The Hibiscus Tree Encounters?
Hibiscus are susceptible to the usual suspects of garden pests, including spider mites, aphids, scale bugs, and mealybugs, but no more vulnerable than other garden flowers. Be vigilant against pests and use natural pesticides when necessary.