Hibiscus Care Must-Knows
Hibiscus are easy-to-grow plants that require very little maintenance, and they like well-drained soils. During hot summers, be sure to water hibiscus daily to prevent them from dropping any flower buds due to heat stress. Full sun exposure will ensure they develop the most amount of flowers possible as well as stronger branches. The branches may need some supplemental pruning to help shape the plants and prevent them from being too sparse. Do this in the spring, right before the heat of the summer encourages a new flush of growth. Tropical types of hibiscus make wonderful container plants. Make sure to plant them in a general-purpose potting mix and to use a slow-release fertilizer (they are heavy feeders). You can also water the plants with a general-purpose fertilizer every other week, or even just once a month, to help promote blooms. If you have these tropical plants in a container outside for the season and plan to bring them back inside for the winter, make sure to give them as much sun as you can. Cooler temperatures and lower light inside slow these plants down, so don’t plan on blooms during the winter. If they do try to bloom, you may find it beneficial to pinch the buds off so that the plants focus their energy on surviving and not blooming.
New Innovations
Lately, there has been a fair amount of research going on in the world of tropical hibiscus. Whether in the novelty domain, where people are breeding specifically for interesting colors and patterns, or in the wholesale plant trade to make overall improvements, there have been many developments. A new series called the Hollywood Series features great new color options on dwarf plants perfect for containers. These varieties also feature blooms that stay open for several days longer than original hibiscus breeds.
More Varieties of Hibiscus
‘Bonnie B’ hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Bonnie B’ offers large red and lavender blooms that fade to orange and yellow at the edges. It can reach 12 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Zones 10-11
‘Gator Pride’ hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Gator Pride’ is a stunning selection with 6-inch-wide, lavender-blue flowers that blend to apricot-pink at the edges. It grows 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Zones 10-11
‘Goin Steady’ hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Goin Steady’ offers huge white semidouble flowers with bright pink centers. It can grow 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Zones 10-11
‘White Wings’ hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘White Wings’ is an old but classic variety with white flowers that have bold red centers. It grows 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Zones 10-11
