Perennial Hibiscus Care Tips - Sargent's Nursery (2024)

FAQs

How to care for a perennial hibiscus? ›

Grow perennial hibiscus in full sun to light shade. Never let them dry out—consistent moisture is critical and mulching is recommended. Adequate cover (snow, straw, leaves) is essential for overwintering. Apply an extended-release fertilizer once in late spring when new growth emerges.

Location and Light

Hardy Hibiscus does best in full sun. They will grow in partial shade, but growth and flowering will suffer. If you live in areas with very hot summers, during the hottest part of the day, Hibiscus may need shade. Hibiscus should be planted along, or in the back of perennial flower beds.

Here, the hibiscus needs the right combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. An NPK fertiliser with a ratio of 7 – 6 – 5 is said to be ideal for this, but a normal flower fertiliser will also satisfy flower-bearing plants all around.

How to Water Hibiscus. All hibiscus plants need to be watered thoroughly every couple of days for the first few weeks after planting. After that, water perennial hibiscus twice weekly for the first growing season. During the second growing season and beyond, water once per week unless it rains several days in a row.

Cut the perennial hibiscus back in late winter or early spring. Leave 6 inches of stem intact to mark its location and protect this late to emerge plant from accidental digging. The Rose of Sharon is also a hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus) hardy in zones 4 or 5 through 8 or 9. This is a shrub that blooms in late summer.

Fertilizing your hibiscus plant is extremely important as it will provide food for your plant that will make it beautiful. It's easy to make hibiscus fertilizer using household items such as coffee grounds, egg shells or dirty fish tank water. All these solutions are cheap and nutrient filled.

The hibiscus flower only lasts a day, although many new hybrids have been bred which now last longer, even up to three days. Try not to think of this as a bad thing, many plants bloom only once a year for two or three weeks and then you have to wait a whole year for a repeat performance.

Hardy Hibiscus are perennial plants that grow in zones 4 through 8. As long as they are adequately protected in the winter, they will come back each year.

This popular landscape shrub can also be grown in pots and is easy to care for when given the right type of container, rich soil, plenty of water and light. Hibiscus planted in pots are useful where space is limited, making an attractive focal point on an apartment balcony, patio or deck.

Feed every 1-2 weeks. Helps acid-loving plants such as azalea, camellia, gardenia, hibiscus, holly, hydrangea, orchid, rhododendron and many other thrive.

Do coffee grounds help hibiscus? ›

Hibiscus plants can benefit from the occasional use of coffee grounds as alternate fertilizers. Adding coffee grounds gives your plant nutrition and acidity to keep it healthy, happy, and thriving. However, excessive use can have adverse effects like legginess or bacterial growth.

Epsom salt has quite a few benefits for hibiscus plants. First, it gives the plant much-needed magnesium. Magnesium aids in the production of chlorophyll, which supports the entire plant. Magnesium is valuable in maintaining root health, as well as assisting the plant in the absorption of other valuable nutrients.

Is it wet or dry? If it is very dry, the wilt may just be caused by drought or underwatering. A quick dose of water will solve this problem! But if the soil is damp, and especially if it is wet, then wilted green leaves almost always spell wilt disease, and it is very important that you act quickly!

Prune your hibiscus in early spring before new growth begins. Cut back the long, bare stems to about a third of their length, just above a node (where leaves grow). This will encourage branching and result in a fuller, bushier plant. Make sure to use clean, sharp pruning shears for clean cuts.

Yellowing leaves are the classic warning sign of overwatering. If your Hibiscus leaves are turning the color of the sun, you might be drowning them in love. Soft, mushy stems or roots are a surefire sign of too much water. If your plant feels like a squishy stress ball, it's time to ease up on the watering.

Grow perennial hibiscus in full sun to light shade. Never let them dry out—consistent moisture is critical. Apply an extended release fertilizer once in late spring when new growth emerges. This plant comes up later than most perennials.