Gardening and Horticulture - Hibiscus Rebirth?

I have three Hibiscus plants in my front yard around the porch that I planted last year, two a slightly different variety than the other(sorry, I dont know what kind). Since I have never had them in the spring I don't know when to expect them to bloom.

Does anyone know when they should start blooming and what can give them a little boost.

I pruned them last year when we had a cold snap. Cut back about a 30% of the branch length. Is that right? I think I lost some of the plant to the cold, how can I prevent that next year(pruning, covering etc....)

Thanks in Advance

Hi Chad,

I'm assuming you're talking about the perennial hibiscus and not the tropicals.

For me, they start blooming in late summer, around August. They will bloom and set seed until frost.

They're wonderful plants. They'll reseed on their own, but it's very easy to save the seeds and start your own. It's not necessary to start them inside. Put about 5-6 seeds in a shallow hole, keep watered, and you'll have new plants.

I'm talking about Hibiscus moscheutos--Rose Mallow -

http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod03/01700990.html

Click in that link to see a photo of the flower. When you cut back the stems in the fall, they're pithy.

Gami

Pithy? I looked up the definition and it appears that the word can have a few different meanings.. Do you mean that it will hurt the plant? What way can I protect the plant in the winter?

Thanks Gami

Hi Chad,

You're welcome! :) I'm not sure how to explain pithy in this instance. You're supposed to know what I'm talking about. :D Usually when you cut back a shrub, you're cutting back a woody stem. This one is white inside and kinda soft. If you don't cut them back right away, they get real brittle and will just snap off. The stems close to the ground are about 1" in diameter and taper to practically nothing at the top. The stems are smooth and a tan/grey color.

Did the photo look like what you have?

In my zone, I don't have to give them any extra protection. They're one of the hardiest plants I've ever grown. Lately, I've been cutting them back to about 2" from the ground in the fall. (Sometimes I don't get around to it, and they're fine.) I suggest you don't cut them back all the way to the ground, although you could. They are one of the latest plants to start growing in the spring, and you could forget where they are and dig them up to plant something else there. It's just a safety factor.

What zone are you in?

Gami

Yes, they looked very much like the picture.

OMG I see it starting to grow at the very bottom. LOL

I live in Zone 8. Just say the word Gami, I just sharpened my snips! To cut or to not?

Hi Chad,

Start snipping! :D All the way to the ground. If you don't, you'll have a hard time snipping those dead branches away and not chopping the new growth off also.

Sorry, I didn't notice that you were in SC.

Gami