How to Make a Paper Hibiscus

Make paper hibiscus for summer-themed parties.

The hibiscus is a tropical flowering shrub whose flower is designated the state flower of Hawaii. The hibiscus flower's colors include red, pink, yellow, lavender, white and many other hues. People have developed double hibiscus flowers and ones with scalloped edges. Even if you do not grow your own hibiscus, you can make the flowers out of paper for a tropical look in your home. Use paper hibiscus flowers to decorate for summer-themed parties and even wedding receptions.

Things You'll Need

• Hibiscus petal template
• Scissors
• Decorative paper
• Glue
• Foam brush
• Floral wire
• Floral tape

Instructions

1. Draw a hibiscus petal template or download one from the link in the Resources section. The template referenced is for paper that is about letter size. Resize the template to make the size flower you want. To draw a template, draw a balloon shape with a tapering end. Cut out your template.

2. Trace your template onto decorative paper that you want to be the petals of your hibiscus. Use a solid color or patterned paper. Trace five petals on separate pieces of paper. Do not cut them out on the trace lines yet. You also need five more pieces of paper the same size as the traced paper.

3. Place a traced petal paper face down. Brush the back of the petal with craft glue using a foam brush. Lay a length of floral wire on the back. It should extend from slightly above the tapered end of the petal to a few inches past it like a stem. The length of the wire will depend on the size of your petals. For letter-sized paper, use about 6 inches of floral wire.

4. Place an untraced petal paper face up over the glued one, sandwiching the floral wire between them. Smooth out any air pockets between the paper squares. Let the glue dry. Repeat for the other petal squares.

5. Cut out each of the five glued petals along the trace lines.

6. Cut two strips of paper to make the center of the hibiscus. The size of the strips depends on the size of your flower. Letter-sized petals need strips about 3 by 5 inches.

7. Snip the long edge of one of the paper strips about every 1/8 inch to make a fringe. Brush glue along the uncut edge of this strip and roll it up around a piece of floral wire. The fringe should extend beyond the end of the wire.

8. Brush glue onto the other paper strip and wrap it around the floral wire. It should hide the uncut end of the fringed paper strip. This is the center of the hibiscus.

9. Bunch the five petals around the center of the hibiscus. Hold all the wires together and arrange the petals so that each overlaps the next one and they all radiate from the center outward.

10. Wrap the ends of the petals and the bunched wires with floral tape all the way down the wires.

Tips & Warnings

• For solid color petals, shade the outer edges of each petal and the tapered ends with a darker color marker or crayon. This gives depth to the finished flower.

• Vary the shape of the petals for different kinds of hibiscus. For example, instead of balloon shapes, make them more triangular or scallop the edges.

• Add another row of petals to make a double hibiscus.

References

• American Hibiscus Society: Tropical Hibiscus
• I Do It Yourself: Giant Paper Hibiscus
• Inspirational Tips, Techniques and Tutorials: Paper Hibiscus

Resources

• I Do It Yourself: Hibiscus Petal Template