Confused Hibiscus

[Petee]

I've had a nice Hibiscus Tree (standard) for several years now.  For the first couple of summers I put it outdoors with minimal flower success.  Last fall when I brought it in it started blooming and continued all winter.

 

I decided to let it stay indoors this summer and now it's starting to bloom again.

 

What a lovely backwards plant!  The flowers are huge and a bright orange-red.  We counted them every day last winter and some days we got three new ones every day.  It was wonderfully cheery on snowy days.

[rich15857]

I have two that act the same way.  Outside all summer and very few blooms, now they are inside in the basement in front of the french doors, they've had dozens of blooms.  Has anyone ever had one almost completely die then come back to live?  One of mine did that.

[Ed]

Mine are outside the whole year, it took a few years to get started, they bloom very heavy now, must have been a hundred flowers this year, now is the time to pick off some of the seed pods to make more for next summer. If you don't pick and dry the pods the birds eat them. If you pick the wilting flower pedals and dry them they make a good tasting tea, which also can be bought from GNC.

[Petee]

Don't you mean a hardy Hibiscus Ed? What I have is a Tropical Hibiscus and if I left it outdoors it would freeze.

 

[Cardinal Fan]

I have one too. It has the bright orangish red blooms. The first year I had it in my dining room and it never bloomed. Two summers ago I took it out on my deck and it got the afternoon sun and it bloomed all summer. In the winter I bring it in my kitchen where it is by the glass doors by the deck. It does well there too. It's blooming right now. Yes, it has lost all it's leaves and I think I'm going to lose it and then it comes right back. Maybe they shed once a year. lol I never pick the pods, are you suppose to?

[lavender]

It is usually best to keep plants from going to seed unless you want the seed. They expend a lot of energy setting seed that could be used in making flowers.

A lot of plants drop their leaves when they come indoors. It is mostly the shock of changing conditions. Nothing to worry about.

[Cardinal Fan]

Where and when should you pinch off the seeds? Should I trim my hibiscus back ever? It's pretty high, but pretty spindley too.

[gypsywannabe]

The Hibiscus at Christ the King blooms in the winter as well. it was a welcome surprise when I used to go there.

[lavender]

Just remove the seed pods. There is no need to take off anything else.

You prune indoor plants to maintain size mostly. Hibiscus will also bloom better if pruned as it blooms on new wood.

Choose about 3 sturdy stems to keep.  Cut off all weak growth. If you want to reduce the size of the plant and make it bushier remove about 1/3 of the length of the stems you choose to keep. I hope that helps.

[Petee]

I have never seen seed pods on mine.  

 

I'll have to try some cuttings from mine in the spring.

[fairedust]

I just read this.  And wanted to know how do you know if your hibiscus is one that can stay outside all year or has to be brought in?  I bring mine in but would like to plant it outside in the ground if I can leave it out all year around.

[lavender]

These are the tropical hibuscus http://www.trop-hibiscus.com/ This is the National Hibiscus Society.

 

Here is a quote from the page "If your hibiscus has glossy deep green leaves, 3-6" flowers of red, pink, orange, yellow, double or single flowers, it is probably a TROPICAL hibiscus. While many common garden varieties have the 3-6" blooms, many of the hybrid varieties of tropical hibiscus can have blooms around 10" in diameter under ideal conditions.

 

Another way to check is if the flowers are salmon, peach, orange, or yellow, or double flowered, then you probably have a TROPICAL hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus do not come in these colors or in doubles! Many tropical hibiscus flowers have more than one color in a bloom either in bands or as spots.

 

If your hibiscus has dull medium green heart shaped leaves, dinner plate sized white, pink or red flowers with HUGE, bomb shaped buds (2-4" in length!), it is a perennial, hardy hibiscus.

 

Hardy hibiscus need very little care over the winter, they are root hardy to about zone 5 with no protection. They die to the ground each year."

 

The true hardy hibiscus are  Hibiscus moscheutos and I don't think that that color thing applies anymore with some of the hybrids.  Nor are they all the dinner plate size. There are smaller ones as well. I guess your best bet is to look at the leaves. If they are shiny they are the tropical ones. You have to be careful re the term "hardy". I have seen the tropical ones described as "hardy" and so they are at around zone 7.  

ps. If it is growing in the house I'm betting it is the tropical one. I doubt if the hardy ones would grow indoors. Like most hardy perennials they probably need their winter rest period.

 

[Petee]

Mine is a tropical Hibiscus and if I didn't bring it inside, it would be mush in the spring.  It lives in a pot all year round but I found that leaving it indoors all year round was better for it.  It bloomed several times in the fall and now it's getting tons of new flower buds.  They only last for a couple of days and they are Red-Orange.

 

I had a hardy Hibiscus in the garden that got smaller and smaller every year till it died.  They need some protection through the winter and lots of food and water in the summer.

[Guest snellma]

My hibiscus aren't confused but my daffodils are.  They are up out of the ground about 4 inches.  Thank goodness we aren't supposed to have any killer weather anytime soon.  My niece is coming from Buffalo in 2 weeks and I so wish I could get at least 1 bloom for her.

[lavender]

We had that happen a couple of winters ago. The buds actually formed but froze before they opened. Not all of them did it or I don't think we would have had any flowers in the spring. Looks as though it is going to be another of those freaky winters. We were joking about putting in the onion sets, maybe a few peas.