How to Care for a Hibiscus

Hibiscus flowers summons memories of Mai Tais on lanais. Their exotic blooms and glossy leaves add a dramatic accent to temperate gardens. There are many different varieties of hibiscus including perennial, annual, evergreen and deciduous. These instructions are for the Chinese or Tropical Hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis).

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Organic Mulch
• Cloud Cover
• insecticidal soap
• low nitrogen fertilizer (0-10-10)
• high nitrogen fertilizer

1. Water hibiscus when the soil is dry to the touch. The roots must remain constantly moist, but not wet. Well-drained soil is key.

2. Fertilize hibiscus every 3 weeks with a low nitrogen fertilizer (0-10-10) applied at 1/2 the label recommendation during the spring and summer. Phosphorous and potassium, the last two numbers on the fertilizer label, encourage flower production and root growth.

3. Tip prune hibiscus to keep the plants bushy and full of blooms. Pinch off the tips of branches to encourage multiple growth tips further down the stem. åÊåÊ

4. Apply a layer of organic mulch under plants to prevent moisture loss and weed growth.

5. Apply a high nitrogen fertilizer at 1/2 strength when leaf color fades. Yellow leaves indicate a hungry plant or under-watering. The foliage should be a deep glossy green. An application of a balanced slow release fertilizer in the spring will encourage new growth.åÊFoliar feeding is acceptable.

6. Remove faded flowersåÊto keep plants looking tidy. Grooming also discourages insect pests by eliminating their hiding places.

7. Protect hibiscus from cold weather. Move plants grown in containers to a protected area. Plants grown in the ground should be covered if temperatures are expected to drop below freezing.

8. Apply an anti-transpirant to protect plants from excessive heat or cold. Cloud Cover is a product which prevents moisture loss through the foliage due to transpiration.

9. Watch closely for insect pests. White fly, aphid, scale and mealy bug are notorious for dining on hibiscus. Use an insecticidal soap to treat unwanted pests.

Tips & Warnings

• Where temperatures drop below 30 degrees, grow tropical hibiscus as an annual or plant in containers and bring indoors during the winter months.

• Tropical hibiscus require excellent drainage. It's native soil is volcanic.

• Hibiscus bloom during the spring and summer.

• See "Related eHows" for planting and pruning tips.

• The giant white fly is a recent pest in Southern California Gardens. Hang yellow sticky traps near plants and encourage beneficial insects to dine by planting fennel, dill and coreopsis nearby.

• Spider mites are a problem on tropical hibiscus. Wash both sides of the foliage frequently throughout the year to prevent spider mite infestations.