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How to prune hibiscus: to keep them flowering for longer

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Learning how to prune hibiscus is easy and will keep your plant in great condition. Hibiscus are beautiful and showy plants with large, bright flowers in a range of colors, from yellow to pink. Highly decorative, the flowers can bring a tropical feel and a pop of color to your garden. The flowers and buds are also edible and make a beautiful sweet tea. 

Hibiscus flowers are short-lived, usually only blooming for a single day. However, if you have included them in your flower bed ideas, and prune them correctly, you will have a profusion of flowers and a long-lasting colorful display with new flowers opening every day. 

The hibiscus family is a large one including species that are herbaceous perennials, annuals, woody shrubs and even trees. The varieties most commonly found in gardens are Hibiscus syriacus, a hardy deciduous flowering shrub and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, or Chinese Hibiscus, a tender evergreen shrub only grown in the tropics and subtropics.

Follow this easy guide and learn how to prune hibiscus. You will be pleased to know that pruning hibiscus is a whole lot simpler than you might think. 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

How to prune hibiscus

If you want to know how to prune hibiscus correctly, the first thing you need to establish is what kind of hibiscus you’re dealing with.  

There are numerous varieties with a range of characteristics and blooms of different colors. If you choose the right type for your garden and plant it in the right place, and learn how to prune hibiscus in the right way, they will produce a stunning floral show throughout the growing season.

Treat your hibiscus well and you will create a flowering machine – as one day’s flowers fade, so a vigorous array of new flowers will appear to succeed them. With so many colors to choose from, you can include hibiscus in a range of garden color schemes.

How to identify hibiscus

If you planted your hibiscus yourself, chances are you’ll already know which category it falls under. If, however, you’ve inherited a ready-planted hibiscus in your garden you’ll need to identify at least the category it belongs to in order to know how to prune hibiscus in the right way. Just as you prune rhododendrons in different ways and at different times depending on the variety, the same is true of hibiscus. The outline below will help with both scenarios. 

How to prune native hibiscus

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Native hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) – also known as common rose mallow, swamp mallow, or marsh hibiscus – are native to the southeastern US. Choose between pink, red and white flowering varieties. As its name suggests, the swamp mallow prefers marshy wetland habitats, but can tolerate drier spots if kept well watered. The scarlet rose mallow is a beautiful variety, common in Florida, which can grow to 4 to 8 feet tall (1 to 2.5 m.).

According to Gena Lorraine, gardening expert at Fantastic Services , ‘Native hibiscus is very easy to care for but sometimes they can grow a bit leggy and too tall.  

To keep a healthy height, you need to make sure you know how to prune hibiscus. 

'Make sure to cut its stems back towards the end as they are from the previous season and the plant will not bloom from these. You should do that in late winter or early spring before the new growth. Always use sharp blades and if the plant looks tender and leaning, you can tie it to a supporting stake,’ says Gena.

How to prune tropical hibiscus

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Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, can only survive permanently in zones 9-11 and suit tropical garden ideas. They have glossy dark green leaves and flowers of rich reds, yellow, orange through to peach, pink and gold. With their showy blooms, they are great as shrubs for the front of the house to increase its curb appeal.

'There are many forms of rosa-sinensis,’ says Byron Martin from Logees Plants in Connecticut. ‘The coloration of the flowers is really extraordinary; there's so much diversity in the color it could take years to become familiar with the amount of beauty that is in this genus,’ he continues.  

Tropical hibiscus share some characteristics with the native hibiscus. If you live in a cooler climate, it’s still possible to grow tropical hibiscus, but in this case you will treat it as an annual, or bring it indoors into a conservatory or heated greenhouse before the temperatures start to drop outside. 

Gena Lorraine offers the following advice on pruning tropical hibiscus: ‘this type of hibiscus should be pruned until it achieves a tree-like shape but the timing really depends on where you live. 

‘In the US the best time to prune is in spring or when the weather starts warming up. Never prune tropical hibiscus in fall as you risk freezing the new and still tender growth. Also, it’s recommended to bring your tropical hibiscus inside in winter if it’s planted in a pot. On the other hand, if you live in a tropical area, you can prune the plant all year round. Start pruning by removing the outer growth and any suckers growing around the base. Of course, keep an eye on diseased branches to avoid spreading. ’ 

How to prune hardy hibiscus

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Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus spp) have heart-shaped, dull green leaves and white, pink or red flowers. They are similar in nature to tropical hibiscus, but the main difference lies in where they can grow. Hardy hibiscus are cold tolerant in cooler US zones 5 to 8, hardy hibiscus produce showy flowers in a range of colors. 

Known for her step-by-step gardening tutorials, and, describing herself as ‘a native of chilly zone 5, where we love hardy hibiscus’, gardening expert Mary Jane Duford says: ‘Hardy hibiscus is a low-maintenance perennial that needs only basic pruning.’ 

She adds, ‘This type of hibiscus dies back to the soil surface each winter in the cooler zones in which it thrives. New sprouts appear in the springtime, after most other hardy herbaceous perennials have sprouted. At this point, any remnants of overwintered stems can be trimmed off with sharp, clean pruning shears.’

Pruning is not required during this summer foliage growth period, although stems can be pinched back when under a foot tall if a shrubby form is desired. Once the plant starts to flower, remove spent blooms as they finish flowering. This plant is known for its incredible flowers, and looks much more attractive when the wilted blooms are removed.

In the late fall, long after flowering is finished, you will need to prune hardy hibiscus stems following a hard frost. If you wish, you can leave 3-6 inches of stem visible to remind you where the plant is. Although Mary Jane Duford adds that stems ‘can also be left standing until early spring to support the local bird population during the winter months.’

(Image credit: John Swithinbank)

How should hibiscus be pruned?

How hibiscus should be pruned depends on the variety you have. Once you have identified the variety of hibiscus that you have, you will be able to choose what is the best way to prune by following this guide. 

All pruning should be carried out with a pair of sharp, clean secateurs. A clean cut made by a sharp tool will heal easier than a messy cut. Using a clean tool will also help to reduce the chances of infection. It is also good practice to prune on a dry day. 

How hard can you cut back hibiscus?

You can cut hibiscus right back, but pruning is a matter of choice. Good pruning will promote flowering. 

Native hibiscus can get quite tall and start to look a little untidy, so if you want a neater plant with more blooms make sure to prune as directed above. Tropical and hardy hibiscus can be pruned into an attractive tree shape, or kept as a bushy shrub. 

How do I prune hibiscus for winter?

It will depend on the type of hibiscus that you have whether you prune it before or at the end of winter, or early spring.

Native hibiscus and hardy hibiscus will die back in cold weather, this is a natural part of their growth cycle and nothing to worry about. 

Tropical hibiscus however cannot tolerate temperatures below 50°F (10°C). Tropical hibiscus can be grown in cooler climates as an annual, but if you want to keep it going through winter you will need to bring it indoors. Pruning will help keep it to a manageable size. 

And there you have it. Once you've identified your plant type according to our experts' advice, learning how to prune hibiscus and care for it couldn't be simpler.  

Karen is the houses editor for homesandgardens.com and homes editor for the brand’s sister titles, Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors, and an experienced writer on interiors and gardens. She loves visiting historic houses for Period Living and writing about rural properties for Country Homes & Interiors, and working with photographers to capture all shapes and sizes of properties. Karen began her career as a sub editor at Hi-Fi News and Record Review magazine. Her move to women’s magazines came soon after, in the shape of Living magazine, which covered cookery, fashion, beauty, homes and gardening. From Living Karen moved to Ideal Home magazine, where as deputy chief sub, then chief sub, she started to really take an interest in properties, architecture, interior design and gardening.  

How And When To Prune Hibiscus For Best Growth

Hibiscus brings an abundance of flowers and a tropical feel to any setting. 

There are many varieties of Hibiscus; some are tropical (USDA hardiness zones 9 and above), and some are hardy or native to the United States (USDA hardiness zones 4 and above). 

Pin

Pruning benefits all varieties, but depending upon the variety you have and the way you plan to keep it, pruning timing and technique may vary. 

Table Of Contents

  1. Why Prune A Hibiscus Shrub?
  2. When Is The Best Time To Prune Hibiscus?
  3. What’s the Difference Between Tropical and Hardy Hibiscus?
  4. What About Potted Tropical Hibiscus?
  5. How To Prune Hibiscus?
  6. What is Deadheading?
  7. How Do You Prune an Established, Neglected Hibiscus?
  8. Hibiscus Pruning What To Do After You Prune?

In this article, we discuss how and when to prune your hibiscus plant. Read on to learn more.

Why Prune A Hibiscus Shrub?

When you prune the branch tips of hibiscus lightly, you encourage your plant to grow more branches and develop a fuller more bushy silhouette.  

More branches also bring more Hibiscus flower buds, and beautiful flowers are the point of Hibiscus.

Aside from aesthetics, pruning also removes damaged and potentially ailing leaves and branches. 

Judicious pruning is a good way to help any plant stay healthy.

When Is The Best Time To Prune Hibiscus?

Hardy and Tropical Hibiscus are pruned in pretty much the same manner throughout the growing season. However, there are differences in how you prune at the beginning and end of the growing season. 

What’s the Difference Between Tropical and Hardy Hibiscus?

Hardy Hibiscus are typically native to the United States and are naturally perennials. In USDA hardiness zones four and above, they can usually be left outdoors year-round.

Perennial or Hardy Hibiscus naturally die back to the ground every winter and start again with new growth in the springtime. 

These types of plants may take quite a while to reemerge in the springtime. 

You may not see the new growth of your Hardy Hibiscus until the middle of the summer.

In a very cold setting, the best time to cut back the dead stalks of Hardy Hibiscus is in late winter or early in the springtime. 

Be sure to leave about 6” inches of each stalk intact so you will remember where the Hibiscus tree is and won’t accidentally run over it with the mower. 

Once the plant begins to grow, prune lightly to control the size and shape of the plant.

With a Perennial Hibiscus, keep the flowers deadheaded and trim out damaged leaves and branches and old-growth lightly throughout their active growing season.

Cut back one-third or less of the plants’ new growth overall to encourage more branching and more blooming. 

Keep an eye on your Perennial Hibiscus throughout the growing season and trim as needed.

As the name implies, Tropical Hibiscus does not like cold weather, but if you live in a very cold climate, keep your Tropical Hibiscus indoors in the wintertime. 

When you do this, your Tropical Hibiscus acts as a perennial.  

Alternately, treat it as an annual and buy new Tropical Hibiscus to adorn your landscape each spring.

Tropical Hibiscus varieties left outdoors year-round in a tropical setting should be pruned vigorously throughout the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. 

These plants also appreciate a hard pruning at the end of the growing season.

Tropical Hibiscus will remain dormant outdoors in cool weather during the winter.

Only hard prune Tropical Hibiscus annually. 

They do bloom on new growth, but if you prune them severely, you will delay their growth and blooming for months.

Types of Hibiscus You May Like:

What About Potted Tropical Hibiscus?

If you live in a cold setting and plan to keep your pots of Tropical Hibiscus indoors in the wintertime, pruning will depend upon the location where you keep your plant.  

If you’re keeping the plant in the basement to go dormant through the winter, give it a light trim before storing it away. Give plants a hard full prune when you bring them out to resume growth late in the winter or early spring.

On the other hand, if you’re keeping it as a houseplant or in a greenhouse, give it a hard pruning late in the fall before you bring it indoors to grow for the winter.

Check out our article: Hibiscus Care in Winter

How To Prune Hibiscus?

In addition to taking care of the health of the plant, you should also keep an eye on it just for good looks. 

If left to their own devices, Hibiscus will get tall and leggy and become very top-heavy. 

This causes the stalks to lean every which way, causing your plant to look unbalanced and strange. To fix the unbalanced look will require corrective pruning.

Examine your plant every week or two and trim back branches (selective pruning) leaning to the left or right. 

Doing so will encourage a bushier growth habit and eliminate problems with sparse areas in the center of the plant.

Here’s how to prune hibiscus:

PinThis tropical Hibiscus is overgrown and needed corrective pruning. The branches had reached about 7-1/2′ feet and needed shaping. Pruned 3/30/2021PinAfter pruning the branches the overall height of the plant is about 30″ inches. In a few weeks, the Hibiscus should begin to fill out nicely. Pruned 03/30/2021

What is Deadheading?

Deadheading is an important component of pruning. 

It is the practice of promptly removing faded flowers to encourage more blooms. 

When flowers begin to wilt, they lose their aesthetic appeal, yet they continue to be a drain on the plant’s energy. 

Removing them helps your plant focus its energy on creating more flowers.

You should keep a close eye on your hibiscus and deadhead flowers right away when you see they are beginning to fade and wilt. 

Don’t allow seedpods to begin to form as this is a big drain on energy.

How Do You Prune an Established, Neglected Hibiscus?

If mature Hibiscus have been neglected, they may be filled with branches of dead wood and excessive, uncontrolled growth. 

In this case, hard pruning may be in order. Begin by cutting back as much of the old growth as possible.

Hard pruning on an old, neglected Hibiscus can work wonders. 

When the new growth appears, it will be far more likely to bloom and prosper than the old growth you have removed.

To perform this kind of hard hibiscus pruning, cut the branches down to between 6” inches and a foot high. 

Leave a couple of leaf nodes intact on each stalk. 

This is where new growth will come from.

Although it may take quite a while for a mature Hibiscus to recover from this type of extreme pruning when it does, you will be delighted by its abundant new growth and blooms.

Hibiscus Pruning What To Do After You Prune?

After pruning hibiscus in the springtime, give your Hibiscus a feeding of potassium-rich flowering plant fertilizer. 

Look for an NPK ratio of 3 –1 – 4. 

This is just the right formulation for healthy growth and abundant flowering.

Be careful not to provide food with too much nitrogen because this will result in lots of leaves and not too many flowers.

Likewise, too much phosphorus causes problems for Hibiscus. 

Fertilizers too rich in phosphorus will cause Hibiscus plants to become yellow and fade rapidly.

Learn more about –> Hibiscus Fertilizer

With Hibiscus plants, it’s a good idea to follow the weakly/weekly program. 

Provide a teaspoonful of fertilizer mix per gallon of water once a week. 

If you feel you will not be able to keep up with this regimen, use a slow-release fertilizer seasonally, and provide a light feeding of potassium monthly while in active growth.

Hibiscus, home care, watering, transplanting.

One of my favorites is hibiscus, home care for this gorgeous flower is very simple. Many people like to grow hibiscus at home for their long flowering with huge bright flowers. Sometimes some people have problems with the plant, so today we will analyze the mistakes associated with caring for hibiscus.

Contents

  • 4 Care for indoor hibiscus at home

      4.1 watering, spraying and feeding

    • ,000 9000 9000 9000 4.1.1 Video: Condem Behind the Hibiscus

  • 4.2 We help the rose bloom

    • 4.3 Send in peace

    4.4 Pruning

  • 4.5 We vaccinate the Chinese rose

  • 5 Care errors, pests and diseases (table)

    • 6 Hibiscus Repeat

    Hibiscus, beautiful and useful (photo)

    Hibiscus, contrary to its popular name Chinese rose, has nothing to do with Rosaceae. He is a member of the Malvaceae family. The genus of hibiscus is very diverse, it combines more than three hundred herbaceous and shrubby plants, as well as trees. They are settled all over the globe, in the subtropical zone. Wild hibiscus grows in African and Asian subtropical forests, in the Caribbean and Hawaiian Islands, in America. Some varieties of the plant can be found in Transcaucasia and Crimea, in the Far East and southern Europe.

    Hibiscus in the wild can grow into a 4-meter tree

    The ancient Greeks were the first to describe hibiscus. But the plant came to the countries of Western Europe only in the 17th century from Asia.

    Among domesticated hibiscus, there are garden and indoor crops. Garden bushy varieties are grown in the southern regions in the open field, very often as a hedge. At home, mainly Chinese and variegated hibiscus are bred.

    Hibiscus flowers come in many colors

    The inhabitants of Hawaii call hibiscus the flower of beautiful women. The famous Hawaiian garlands are also made from its flowers. In Oceania, India and China, hibiscus is a recognized symbol of hospitality and family hearth. This flower is one of the attributes of home comfort. In India, purple hibiscus flowers adorn the bride's outfit.

    Indoor hibiscus is a shrub or tree, an adult specimen can reach 3 meters in height. The hibiscus has a bare stem covered with light gray bark; with regular pruning, it branches well. On the petioles are large, up to 8 cm long, shiny leaves with a serrated edge. They are a bit like birch leaves, but darker in color.

    Hibiscus has beautiful flowers and bright green lush foliage

    Hibiscus flowers are large from 5 cm. There are varieties with huge plate flowers, their diameter reaches 30 cm. strongly protruding pubescent pistil.

    There are terry varieties. The color of flowers can be white, yellow, orange, pink, purple, gray or red, and also combine different shades. The life of hibiscus flowers is very short, they bloom for a day or two. But to replace the faded flowers, new ones immediately bloom, the plant, with proper care, blooms for a long time, from three to eight months. Successful pollination will produce fruits, they look like boxes with five wings. Inside each covered with hairs or bare seeds.

    Hibiscus flowers are large, from 5 to 30 cm, but do not last long

    In the old days, dye for fabrics was made from hibiscus flowers in Eastern countries. Some varieties of this plant were used in the manufacture of paper.

    Indoor hibiscus, well cared for, can live for several decades. From it you can grow a powerful bush or tree, or you can limit its growth. Hibiscus lends itself well to formation.

    Hibiscus is an excellent material for creating a stem tree, in it you can combine multi-colored varieties

    It is easy to care for this plant. He needs bright lighting, sufficient watering and slightly increased humidity. Set aside a place for the Chinese rose near the south window, sometimes spray it, cut the branches and watch for months how wonderful flowers open one after another.

    Read also - Plants and signs of the zodiac: what to plant at home

    Beautiful and edible hibiscus

    Plants belonging to the genus Hibiscus are very diverse. Among them are annual and herbaceous, deciduous and evergreen, there are those that cannot exist without support, and trees up to 4 meters. But in almost every hibiscus, a person has found something attractive and useful. Some varieties are grown commercially, some are used as elements of landscape design, while others simply create comfort in our homes.

    The most popular in home floriculture is the Chinese hibiscus, also known as the Chinese rose. A tree-like shrub capable of stretching up to 3 meters. The plant has rich rich green foliage. Large (up to 16 cm) flowers appear from spring to autumn. Each one lives no more than two days, but there are usually so many buds on a well-groomed plant that flowering seems to be continuous. Breeders have bred over 500 hybrid varieties of Chinese hibiscus. They differ in color (from purple and chocolate to pale lemon and cream) and shape (single, semi-double and double) flowers. Some varieties of Chinese hibiscus:

    Photo gallery: varieties of hibiscus (Chinese rose)
    Variety BoriasVariety Carmen KeeneVulture Feeling BlueVulture HamburgVariety Parple MajesticVariety San RemoVulture KyotoClassic Chinese roseVariety Florida
    Photo gallery: varieties of hibiscus
    Bamia - edible hibiscuscusicos of marsh is distinguished by huge flowers gigibiscus tiered, it is also a hubskuscus of Cupopergybiskus. Crazy Rosagibiscuscusicus Syrian rose (or caracade) of a gigantic

    Main light - many lights - Multi The bush grows quickly and is not capricious. If you give it bright light, spray it occasionally, and remember to water it, it may even bloom in gratitude at odd times.

    Table: conditions for indoor hibiscus

    Spring Lighting - bright, a small amount of direct sun will be useful. For placement of hibiscus, the southwestern and southeastern directions are suitable, on the south side on sunny days it is necessary to shade the plant. In the north, with a short daylight hours, artificial lighting will be needed.
    Moderate humidity. Sprinkle with warm water from time to time. Do not place near heating appliances.
    Indoor hibiscus does not like drafts and sudden changes in temperature, do not place it near an open window.
    The temperature is moderate, about 20-23 degrees.
    Summer In the summer, a pot of hibiscus can be taken for a walk - on the balcony or in the garden. Fresh air enhances flowering. But protect the flower from the wind.
    Lighting - bright light. Shade the Chinese rose on a hot afternoon, otherwise the leaves may wither.
    Refresh the plant by spraying.
    The temperature is moderate, better up to 25 degrees.
    Autumn Lighting - bright light with several hours of direct sun.
    Humidity 40 to 50 percent. Spray the hibiscus occasionally.
    Temperature moderate 20-25 degrees. Gradually lower it to plus 16-18 degrees.
    Winter Light - bright light with some direct sun. If there is not enough light, provide artificial lighting.
    Humidity is moderate 40-50 percent. Occasionally freshen up your homemade hibiscus with a spray.
    The temperature is cool, optimal - about plus 16-18 degrees. Below 12 is unacceptable, may shed leaves. Cool wintering is useful for laying buds.
    At higher temperatures and lack of light, the branches will stretch and weaken.
    Keep plant away from heaters. Protect hibiscus from drafts.

    Some growers claim that indoor hibiscus is not sensitive to air humidity. And they also advise regularly spraying the plant. Like any plant in the subtropics, the Chinese rose loves humidity, but not excessive.

    Follow the rule: the higher the temperature, the higher the humidity, and vice versa, the lower the temperature, the lower the humidity. And carefully observe the state of the flower, he himself will tell you what he likes.

    How and when to transplant indoor China rose?

    Hibiscus should be transplanted immediately after purchase. In the store, plants exist in a depleted substrate and are treated with special preparations so that they do not outgrow. And after moving into the nutrient soil, the hibiscus begins to actively increase in size. But if you got a Chinese rose blooming, wait until the end of flowering. The stress from the transplant will interfere, the buds may die.

    When choosing a hibiscus pot, the general rule applies to flowering plants. If you want a lush flowering - do not plant it in a voluminous pot "for growth". In a spacious container, hibiscus will begin to develop roots, grow greenery, and will postpone flowering for an indefinite period.

    Young small plants should be repotted annually in the spring, slightly increasing the diameter of the pot until it is 30 cm or larger. And for adult specimens that are already difficult to transplant, renew the top layer of soil in the spring by about 5 cm.

    Prepare the soil for the Chinese rose nutritious, neutral in acidity and loose. Example options:

    Transplanting hibiscus stimulates flowering

    Pour drainage into the hibiscus pot, sparingly, the more airy your mixture is, the better. And don't forget to sterilize all transplant components.

    1. Pour a drainage layer into the pot, some soil substrate.
    2. Take out the hibiscus with the earth ball from the old container. Shake off the soil a little, do not remove it completely.
    3. Examine the root system, if rotten roots are found, remove them. Healthy roots do not need to be cut.
    4. Place the earthen ball with the plant in the new pot, carefully spread the soil between the wall and the earthen ball, shaking the pot slightly. Compact the topsoil a little.
    5. Water and spray the hibiscus after transplanting.
    6. Put the plant in its old place, hibiscus does not like moving, especially after stress.
    Video: how to transplant hibiscus

    Household hibiscus care

    Hibiscus is an easy-to-care plant. He is not capricious in vain, being content with regular watering and spraying (although there are requirements for water quality), modest top dressing and sanitary pruning. I knew a hibiscus that grew indoors without a window, with completely artificial lighting. It was often sprayed, so the greens were elastic and bright, but they did not wait for lush flowering from the plant. Hibiscus produced no more than a dozen buds per season.

    I must say that hibiscus forgives the florist's mistakes. The plant lends itself to resuscitation. Main - notice in time that the flower is depressed, and take action.

    Watering, spraying and feeding

    China rose is very sensitive to water quality. It can not be watered with hard and cool water. From this, the plant can get sick, drop buds and even leaves. Tap water causes a disease - chlorosis.

    If you want your hibiscus to be healthy, bloom and live long, water it with demineralized soft and warm water. Set aside, filter and reheat if necessary. The same requirements apply to spray water. In the heat of the Chinese rose, it is useful to spray twice a day. But try to keep large drops of moisture from falling on the flowers. They do not live long, and water will shorten their life even more.

    Hibiscus leaves love to be sprayed

    Do you want to put a glossy shine on hibiscus leaves? Spray it with an infusion of onion husks. Pour half the onion peel into the jar, tamp it down and pour boiling water to the top. Let the solution sit for a day or two. Strain it and sprinkle with Chinese rose leaves. By the way, this is a good defense against spider mite attacks.

    Keep the soil in the hibiscus pot constantly moist. The drying of an earthy coma can lead to leaf fall. In spring and summer, at the time of flowering, you need to water the plant plentifully. In winter, the amount and frequency of watering is reduced, but again, it is dangerous for the health of hibiscus to bring an earthen lump to complete dryness.

    During the growth and budding, be sure to support the Chinese rose with top dressing. Two to three times a month, give her liquid mineral fertilizers high in nitrogen, iron and copper in spring (for greenery), and in summer - phosphorus and potassium (for flowering). Prepare the solution according to the instructions. Some flower growers recommend fertilizing hibiscus once a month with a fermented infusion of bird droppings, it is diluted with water 1:20 and added to the soil immediately after watering so as not to burn the roots. In winter, stop feeding or limit it to once a month.

    Video: hibiscus care

    Helping a rose bloom

    A healthy and well-groomed hibiscus usually does not refuse to bloom. And the flowering time lasts from 3 to 8 months. But sometimes the grower neglects the rules of maintenance and care, then problems arise.

    Even a young hibiscus bush blooms actively

    What is needed for a hibiscus to bloom luxuriantly and for a long time?

    Analyze whether you fulfill all the conditions for the flowering of hibiscus. Try to correct the mistakes, and, perhaps, already in the current season, your Chinese rose will please with buds, and then with flowers. Those who have been cultivating this plant for a long time note an interesting feature. If in autumn the hibiscus is kept cool (for example, the heating is not turned on for a long time), then after, when the apartment gets warmer sharply, flowering may begin.

    And a few more "unscientific" tips. It is said that hibiscus will bloom better if a wooden chip (about 10 cm) is inserted into the soil at some distance from the stem. It is advised to “drink” hibiscus with vodka to improve flowering. Add one cap of alcohol to irrigation water once a month. And finally, the Chinese rose can be intimidated. The owner of the plant tells how she put an ax next to it and threatened that she would cut it down if she did not see flowering. And the rose bloomed.

    Try it, maybe it will work. But still, first apply the traditional methods.

    Retirement

    China rose's dormancy usually occurs in winter. Winter hibernation is not pronounced. The plant simply slows down growth and does not bloom. Although under certain conditions it can bloom even in winter.

    The task of the grower is to give the hibiscus a good rest. The air temperature should be reduced, ideally to 16-18 degrees. That is, remove or protect the plant from heating devices, put it closer to the cold window glass. Reduce watering, moisturizing and fertilizing. But you need a lot of light, hibiscus will be grateful for the backlight.

    Pruning

    Pruning for Chinese rose is a mandatory annual event. It helps to bloom and bush. You can prune the plant immediately after flowering, at the beginning of winter, or in spring. For rejuvenation, adult shoots are cut by a third, thin and dried twigs are removed. Cut boldly, do not be afraid to harm the hibiscus, after pruning it will grow more actively.

    Hibiscus makes beautiful flowering trees.

    When pruning the Chinese rose, choose what you want to form: a house tree or a bush. If you decide to grow a tree, remove the lower branches, exposing the stem. If your goal is a compact bush, cut the central stem and upper shoots without pity, leaving the basal shoots. But don't forget to thin it out too. Remember: flowers appear on young growth. Cut branches can be used for propagation.

    Hibiscus can be grown as a bonsai
    Video: spring pruning of hibiscus

    Grafting Chinese rose

    Chinese rose cuttings do not always take root successfully, especially for hybrid varieties. To get a coveted rose of a certain color and type, flower growers graft a varietal cutting (graft) onto a simpler plant (rootstock). As a rootstock, you should not use hybrid plants of Dutch origin, you need a simple hibiscus of the "grandmother's" variety. And the graft from the newly purchased "Dutch" will not work, the store plant was treated with drugs that stop growth. Grafting is a real operation, so hands and tools must be spotlessly clean.

    1. Remove all leaves from the scion (lignified cultivar), leaving points of growth. Do the same with the rootstock.
    2. Make maximally matching oblique cuts on the rootstock and scion.
    3. Join and press the scion and rootstock sections. Wrap the inoculation site tightly with adhesive tape or tape, sticky side out, so that you can remove it later without injuring yourself.
    4. Cover the plant with a plastic bag to create a humid atmosphere, place under a lamp.
    5. Moisten the soil, air the plant occasionally.
      2. Wrong watering or feeding schedule.
      3. Drafts. 1. Place the plant on a brightly lit window sill, shade in hot weather. Watch out for temperature fluctuations in autumn. If the plant is outdoors, bring it home.
      2. Water and feed hibiscus in a life cycle manner. Reduce watering in winter, increase in spring.
      3. Protect from drafts. Chinese rose leaves turn pale and yellow, stems stretch. Lack of sunlight. If it is winter or autumn, add 2-3 hours of artificial light.
      If the season is different, move the pot to a place where there is enough light. Remove objects that give shade. Cut off the elongated shoots or pinch. The tips of the hibiscus leaves dry out, gradually the leaves curl. Too dry air. Spray the plant more often, moisten the air next to it in all available ways. Leaves lose their brightness and turn yellow. Irrigation with hard water or lack of iron in the diet. Settle or filter the water. To return the green color, use the complex preparation "Emerald", follow the instructions. Chinese rose does not bloom. You may not be following the regime that the plant needs. Use the flowering formula: bright light + cramped pot + mineral fertilizer + anti-aging pruning. Sticky droplets have appeared on the underside at the base of the leaves. Check the plant for pests. If the general condition of the hibiscus is good, do not worry: such discharge is the norm. Sometimes the odorless hibiscus attracts insects for pollination. If parasites are found, apply the measures described below. Leaves lighten, turn yellow, white spots appear on them. This is chlorosis. The process of photosynthesis is disrupted. Infectious chlorosis is caused by viruses and fungi. The carriers are aphids and mites. Treat the plant with Phyto Farm several times with a break of 3-4 days. Feed the hibiscus, as a rule, weakened flowers get sick.
      Spray leaves with iron chelate (antichlorosin) to prevent chlorosis.
      Some flower growers advise to bury a rusty nail in the ground. White coating on the upper side of the leaves, becoming brownish with time. Stems, buds and flowers are also affected. Powdery mildew infestation. Infected leaves must be removed. Powder the plant with sulfur powder or treat with Bayleton, Fundazol. The leaf is covered with yellowish spots and dots, sometimes a white cobweb is visible. Spider mite infestation. Spray hibiscus with a systemic insecticide, Phytoferm or Derris.
      The mite breeds quickly in dry air, spray the plant regularly.
      Ticks are intolerant of ultraviolet radiation. Apply an ultraviolet lamp to control the pest. Young shoots and leaves wither and curl up. Tiny insects are visible. It's an aphid. Treat hibiscus with an aphid killer.
      Spray it with preparations that contain permethrin. Brown hard plaques on the underside of the leaves along the veins. Shield defeat. Remove the pest by hand, adults are not afraid of chemicals. Then treat the plant with an insecticide solution. Carry out the processing until the shield is completely destroyed.

      Hibiscus propagation

      Hibiscus can be propagated by seeds (sowing in the middle of winter) or cuttings (all year round, but better at the end of summer).

      Seeds

      1. Soak planting material overnight in a solution of "Epin" or "Zircon" - these are growth stimulants.
      2. Prepare the substrate: equal amounts of soddy soil, peat and coarse sand.
      3. Pour the drainage layer and the substrate into the sowing container, moisten.
      4. Sow the seeds to a depth of 5 millimeters, two centimeters apart.
      5. Cover the container with foil to create a greenhouse effect. Put in a warm place.
      6. Provide plantings with a temperature of plus 25-27 degrees.
      7. Remove the foil every day to ventilate and moisten the crops.
      8. The first sprouts will emerge in a couple of weeks or sooner.
      9. When three true leaves appear, pick the seedlings into separate pots.
      10. Keep seedlings indoors with bright diffused light.
      Hibiscus seeds germinate at high temperatures
      Video: Seed hibiscus

      From cuttings

      1. Choose even, undeformed, bark-covered twigs. Cut cuttings with 3-4 knots, 10-12 cm each.
      2. Remove lower leaves and buds.
      3. Prepare the substrate, mix peat and sand in half.
      4. Dig the cuttings in the soil.
      5. Cover plantings with film, plastic or glass containers. Keep at a temperature of 25-27 degrees.
      6. Ventilate and moisten daily.
      7. Rooting will take a month. After transplanting young hibiscus into pots, about 7 cm in diameter, pinch the top. Take care of it like you would an adult plant. With good care, they will bloom in the spring.

      Or make it simpler. Place a hibiscus stalk in water by adding two tablets of activated charcoal or a growth stimulator. Wait until small roots appear, and plant in a pot with a substrate.

      Video: propagating hibiscus from cuttings

      No matter how the flower fashion changes, hibiscus is an eternal classic, it will always be of interest to flower growers.

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