I bought a hibiscus for the first time this year. It was so beautiful all summer. Many, many blooms. It is still blooming, but I brought it inside and put it in my bathroom. Now it is losing its leaves. There are still lots of buds and it is blooming, but losing its leaves. Should I put it back outside and cover it up so it doesn't freeze? I really want to save it. Thank you.
Thank you everyone that wrote their suggestions for my hibiscus plant. I think that every garden should have one and I am going to get another in the spring. They have very large blooms and mine is a peach color. The flowers change a different color as the season goes. Now mine is yellow. It is gorgeous. I would like to get another for my deck but I know last year it didn't like all sun. It kind of wilted so I put it partially under a willow tree and it bloomed a lot. I figure that it had about 100 blooms on it this year. It is only 3-4 feet tall. They are gorgeous. Thanks again, Carole
My neighbor here in zone 4 does nothing with her plant. It gets to be about 6 feet in the summer. She is not a plant person, and so I was surprised it came back. This is the 2nd season of it. Flowers the size of luncheon plates.
I read on the internet that you can should prune your hibiscus and then put burlap around it for the winter time. I just got bought one from someones yard sale and I am going to do this myself, I think it would be a drag to dig it up every year and then put it back in the ground in the spring time. I want easy! By the way you can find out just about anything on google or just in your search area. That's how I found this out. Hope this helps you. Linda
Is the plant you call the Hibiscus a Marshmallow plant (Althae officinalis) marsh mallow (plant), perennial herbaceous plant of the hibiscus, or mallow, family (Malvaceae)? I grew the Marshmallow plant in my Ct. home and it did fine through the winter.I did put burlap around it to prevent it from wind burn. The plant can take cold weather but the wind will dehydrate the plant, this is what causes the real damage. Now the Hibiscus I grow in my Fla. winter home, can not take the snow and ice. I would talk to the nursery folks where you bought that plant. jjs
Carole, it depends on whether you have a hardy hibiscus or not. If it is hardy, I just mulch around it but if it isn't, then you have to bring it in. I think it is normal for it to lose a few leaves. I don't water mine much inside either.; kind of let it go dormant. Then when you bring it out in the spring after the temps are consistently above 50 degrees and fertilize it, it will take off. Good luck.
I don't know about the other perennials, but my neighbor has her hibiscus all bundled up with gunny sacks. Some places do have master gardeners you can call. I should have checked with the nurseries about my hibiscus. I have it in my bathroom and someone said it will lose some leaves because of the temperature change and coming indoors. Good luck on the perennials.
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Request: Hibiscus Losing Leaves (10/15/2009)
I have a Hibiscus that I bring inside for the winter. This is my second year bringing it in.
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Request: Hibiscus Losing Leaves
Archived on 10/15/2009
I have a Hibiscus that I bring inside for the winter. This is my second year bringing it in. My problem is it starts to lose it's leaves and I don't know how to keep it healthy looking, could you advise? Thanks.
Hardiness Zone: 3b
Mary Kay from Sun Prairie
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RE: Hibiscus Losing Leaves
Stop watering the Hibiscus to force it into dormancy. Put it in the basement or in a corner in your bedroom and forget about it until spring. When spring arrives bring it outside after danger of frost. Water it really good with the hose. Then water and fertilize it with 1 T Miracle Gro and 1 T Epsom Salts in 1 gallon of water. It will take a while for leaves to appear, but it will grow big and produce tons of blooms.
I did this with a braided Hibiscus last year and this summer it was enormous and gorgeous with Lipstick Red and Tangerine double blooms. I may have to cut it back to get it through the door for the winter. I'll do the same thing again this year. (11/13/2008)
