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The blooms may only last a day, and you have to be careful about temperatures, but these gorgeous lovelies are well worth planting. During the warm summer months and longer in more tropical loving climates, the stunning beauty of the tropical Hibiscus will bring you a sense of accomplishment like few others. Please let me explain:
The tropical hibiscus or Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a member of the Malvaceae or mallow family. This national flower of Malaysia is closely related to shrubby althea (rose-of-sharon), hollyhock, hardy hibiscus, and cotton, among others. Most people also think of it as the state flower of Hawaii, but that is actually a native species of hibiscus, H. brackenridgei. With thousands of colors, a variety of bloom sizes and configurations, and a multitude of plant sizes as well, it is no surprise that the tropical hibiscus is one of the most popular flowers on the planet. But don’t let the name fool you. Tropical hibiscus is quite happily grown in pots, so they are easy to move into greenhouses or basements for overwintering, or can easily be grown as annuals.
The easiest way for the average gardener to add this lovely flower to their gardens is through cuttings. Growing from seed is often a timely and frustrating way to discover that those 6 to 18 months of waiting have produced a flower that doesn’t look at all like what you were expecting. So let me show you an easier way. Cuttings are quick, usually good for the parent plant, (since occasional pruning keeps the plant in good shape and helps to promote blooming), and the color of bloom you get will be the color that you wanted.
The first thing you will want to do is prepare your pot. The size of pot you choose will depend on how many cuttings you will put in it. For some reason, hibiscus cuttings seem to do best when there are several rooting together. Make sure that the pot is clean, and then nearly fill it with your growing medium. Many people recommend perlite or clean gardener’s sand, but I find that potting soil works best for me. With a stick or pencil, poke a hole for each cutting you will be placing in the pot. Now you are ready for the new cuttings.
You want to find a fairly sturdy, but not thick branch of the parent. Take a cutting just above an "eye", and in the direction of growth that you want to encourage. Your cutting should be about 8 inches. Then with a sharp razor or very sharp knife cut again right through the middle of an "eye" or leaf node. Cut off most of the leaves, leaving only a few at the top of your cutting. Cutting the leaves off, rather that pulling them, creates less damage to the stem, which can be a way of inviting disease.
Hold the cutting in a rooting hormone for 10 seconds or so…giving the hormone a chance to adhere to the stem. Gently place the stem in the prepared hole, keeping as much hormone on the stem as possible. When you have all your cuttings in the pot, you can place it in a clear plastic bag in a shady spot with only limited filtered light. If you live in a humid area – or have room in your bathroom, the plastic bag is not necessary. But the filtered light is. Too much light will cause the cutting to try to grow UP instead of concentrating on root growth. The few leaves you left on the top of the cutting will help the transpiration of moisture throughout the new plant.
Once you see new growth – usually 5 or 6 weeks, separate the rooted plants with a gentle stream of water and put them in their own pots, or in the ground, whichever suits your garden. Pots generally work better at this stage, because you can ease the new plants into sunshine a bit more each day. Eventually you will want your new tropical hibiscus to have full sun for the most blooms. I have seen blooms in as little as two weeks from re-potting, but the average is around 4 to 6 weeks.
The gorgeous blooms may only last one day, but there are always new buds waiting in the wings. When frost threatens, you will need to move them to a warmer area, but these lovely tropical beauties will reward your efforts by continuing to bloom for many years to come.
They may be fleeting and fragile…but they are definitely fabulous!
About Shari Scott
For most of my 53 years I have been an avid traveler, and luckily I married one as well. We are now living (for the 2nd time) on the tiny island of Kwajalein in the middle of the Pacific. I have gardened in places as varied as the Rocky Mountains and the desert of Saudi Arabia, and many points in between. My passions include, but are not limited to: Family, friends, music, good conversation, and the wonders to be found in the oceans of our planet.
Posted by DonnieBrook (from N Hampshire/Florida
(United States)) on January 23, 2008 at 3:43 PM:
Shari, I am having fun trying my hand at hibiscus cuttings, and I found your article to be very helpful. The photos are pretty as well. Can you tell me what cultivar the last photo (light pink) is? It is lovely! Thanks again for a very useful article!
...
Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 23, 2008 at 6:52 PM:
Hi DonnieBrook! The one you asked about is a miniature known as Fantasia...or sometimes Dainty Pink. I just love the pure color in it...nothing fancy, just beautiful. So glad you like it.
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Posted by DonnieBrook (from N Hampshire/Florida
(United States)) on January 23, 2008 at 7:55 PM:
Thanks, Shari. I too love the simplicity and beauty of it. As my DH and I were taking our evening walk tonight, I was telling him all about your article. He, too, found it interesting. I will try your method of putting several cuttings together in one pot. I have been putting them in separate pots. I thank you again for your good work - and for letting me know about your Fantasia.
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 23, 2008 at 9:02 PM:
So happy that you enjoyed it. I have tried potting cuttings separately as well, and they never do as well as when several are together. Just so you know that I have tried it both ways. Good luck to you!
Yokwe,
Shari
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Posted by DonnieBrook (from N Hampshire/Florida
(United States)) on January 25, 2008 at 5:47 PM:
Will it hurt my individual cuttings if I pull them out of their pots and stick 'em all together into one happy pot??? LOL
And please translate "Yokwe"....fascinated by such things!
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 25, 2008 at 9:44 PM:
If they are doing well, leave them be...if they are looking a bit stressed by all means join them together.
Yokwe is the Marshallese equivalent of Aloha. Traditionally the meaning is "your beauty is as the rainbow", meaning from all sides, inside and out. The more modern meaning is "love to everyone". It is used as hello, goodbye, I love you, good to see you, happy day...just like "Aloha". I love the traditional meaning, and feel that seeing the beauty in all things is a wonderful sentiment to strive for...so I use it a lot. Oh, and the pronounciation is : Yoke - way sometimes "yuck-way"
Yokwe,
Shari
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Posted by DonnieBrook (from N Hampshire/Florida
(United States)) on January 26, 2008 at 4:12 PM:
Yokwe to you too, Shari! Thanks for sharing that with me. And thanks for the advice on my cuttings! Hope you are having a lovely day today on your heavenly island! Louise
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Subject: Bonnie's Bargain Basement
Posted by BonniesBasement (from Yucaipa, CA) on January 23, 2008 at 11:51 AM:
Thank you so much for your information on Hibiscus. I am inspired that the information you provided will help me with the problems I have been having with my Hibiscus!
Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 23, 2008 at 3:06 PM:
Bonnie, happy to help! If you have any specific questions, just drop me a d-mail and maybe I can help fiqure it out.
Yokwe,
Shari
...
Subject: Great job, Shari
Posted by LarryR (from South Amana, IA) on January 21, 2008 at 3:58 PM:
Enjoyed the article. Judging from your tutorial, you'd make a great teacher! I was drawn to your article because the title reminded me to check on a tropical hibiscus I donated to our local assisted living facility several years ago. It's a beautiful, bright red, crinkly-petaled one. I got it as a gift about 15 years ago and trained it as a standard. It had simply gotten too large and heavy to shlep in and out of the house each year. Last time I checked, it was still blooming and doing great. Keep up the good work! Larry
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 21, 2008 at 5:06 PM:
The reds are soooooo striking! I was nice of you to donate it to a place that would benefit from the beauty. Glad you liked the article, and I must give off vibes...I did teach for a while! Ha Ha.
Yokwe,
Shari
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Posted by LarryR (from South Amana, IA) on January 22, 2008 at 12:08 AM:
I thought so!! LOL
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Subject: Enjoyed the article
Posted by Braveheartsmom (from Kihei, HI) on January 21, 2008 at 12:33 PM:
Great directions and clear photos! Thanks Shari!
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Posted by McGlory (from Southeast, NE) on January 21, 2008 at 1:03 PM:
Love the photos, Shari. What a great article. I'm going to save these instructions for when I ever get brave and try an hibiscus cutting. :-) Great article!
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Posted by heavenscape (from Tabor City, NC) on January 21, 2008 at 3:36 PM:
Wow Shari!!! Great article and I will try do some cuttings as well, following your instructions.
Is it any wonder the Malays call this flower "Bunga Raya"?
Bunga = Flower ....Raya=celebrate.
Celebration Flower!
Thanks Shari!
~Jaye
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 21, 2008 at 5:09 PM:
Bunga Raya...yes! Thanks for the kind words all of you! Lori - no courage needed - they are quite easy actually. Jenny, you must have tons! Guess I did okay, huh?
Yokwe,
Shari
...
Subject: Great article
Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on January 21, 2008 at 2:56 AM:
Thank you, I'd been "eyeing" the neighbor's bright red one all summer. I would love some of my own. Your directions are clear and concise and I think I can even scrounge a filtered light situation. Thanks again, great article, lots of great information! :)
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on January 21, 2008 at 8:55 AM:
Fabulous flowers and great directions to boot! Thanks; they are beautiful !!
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Posted by victorgardener (from Lower Hudson Valley, NY) on January 21, 2008 at 4:24 PM:
I have only grown hardy ones but it's certainly worth the 'hassle' of bringing in a pot to add some of these lovelies. I like the idea of starting a new day with a new bloom! Thanks Shari.
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 21, 2008 at 5:04 PM:
Thank you for the kind words...I love these flowers, and would love to see more of them!
Yokwe,
Shari
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Posted by Indy (from Alexandria, IN) on January 21, 2008 at 8:41 PM:
I found that my tropical did only so so in a pot....lost most leaves every year. I finally set it in the ground and it really put on a show that summer.
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Subject: WOW
Posted by MitchF (from Oklahoma City, OK) on January 21, 2008 at 2:09 AM:
Even how to root more... once again I love the article and cannot wait to keep on reading more of your work.
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 21, 2008 at 2:44 AM:
This message was edited Jan 21, 2008 7:21 AM
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on January 21, 2008 at 5:07 PM:
