Dormant hibiscus

[ladyapple27]

Comments

[eqfe]

I didn't realize that the died back to the ground, I've been waiting for mine to leaf out LOL. I was starting to think that it was dead.

[ladyapple27]

They go dormant in temperate climates. Be patient; they're very slow to break dormancy in the spring-that's one of the reasons that I don't trim the stalks closer to the ground. I like to have them very clearly marked.

[ladyapple27]

I'm in Zone 7, and some of my hibiscus don't emerge until mid-late May.

[tracy6167]

I thought I'd lost my hibiscus this winter (I'm in zone 9, FL), because we'd gotten a couple of hard frosts. I was ready to pull them out and replace them, but after talking to some people, was told to just cut them back. Thank goodness I didn't pull them out-there are a bunch of leaves growing out around the old stalks! Looks like it will survive and thrive-hardy little things, aren't they?

[ladyapple27]

Here in zone 7, I have some hibiscus that my mother grew from seed over 24 years ago. They've survived both heat and frost to return each spring.

We grow some varieties that will survive in zone 5.

Once the hibiscus are in bloom, we'll all have to post pics!

[ladyapple27]

You don't actually have to prune them, but the stalks get messy if you don't.

Luna Series, Carolina Series, Disco Belles, and Southern Belles are hardy to Zone 5. I have a friend in Zone 4 who has one of the Carolina Series from my nursery. With a thick mulch cover, it has survived 2 winters thus far. However, it's in a sheltered spot with southern exposure.

The last time I went to Florida, I saw the most beautiful hibiscus!

[low_delta]

Unlike in previous years, I didn't trim mine when it died, last fall. I'll do that as soon as it gets warm enough to work outside. I usually leave the stems longer, like yours, so their easier to break off after a year or two, when they're breaking down.

Last spring I got a non-hardy hibiscus. My wife didn't want me to dig it up after it froze. She thought there might be a chance I was wrong, and that it would come back. But you really can tell the difference between the two, when they die off. The hardy ones have their leaves turn brown and crisp, like any hardy shrub or tree does in the fall, while the non-hardy ones just turn brown and go limp like some vegetables do.

[ladyapple27]

I have wanted to try non-hardy hibiscus, but I haven't got around to it yet. I've got more plants than I have room for.