Garden hibiscus: growing and caring for the flower of love. Garden hibiscus, care and reproduction - a welcome guest from the tropics Garden Chinese rose
Flower hibiscus (lat. Hibiscus) refers to an extensive genus of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants of the Malvaceae family, numbering about 300 species that grow naturally in the tropics and subtropics of the New and Old Worlds. In a temperate climate, only Syrian hibiscus and ternary hibiscus can grow in open ground, as well as a new species obtained in the 40-50s of the twentieth century on the basis of North American marsh, bright red and armed hibiscus, hybrid hibiscus, or garden hibiscus. All forms of hybrid hibiscus are frost-resistant. Everyone's favorite chinese rose, or chinese hibiscus, in our latitudes is grown only as an indoor or greenhouse plant, although hibiscus rose loves to spend summer holidays outdoors.
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Planting and caring for hibiscus (in a nutshell)
- Landing: spring, in the second half of May.
- Bloom: from the end of June to the beginning of October.
- Lighting: bright sunlight.
- The soil: light, fertile, moisture-permeable - which would suit roses.
- Watering: regular, especially in the heat, but only after the soil has dried. In drought, watering is carried out daily.
- Pruning: and sanitary, and rejuvenating, and shaping pruning is carried out in early spring before the start of sap flow.
- Top dressing: from June to September - twice a month with mineral fertilizers with a high content of phosphorus and nitrogen, in autumn potash fertilizers are also added to the complex.
- Reproduction: seeds, cuttings, layering and grafting.
- Pests: thrips, spider mites, aphids, whiteflies.
- Diseases: chlorosis, root rot.
Read more about growing hibiscus below.
Garden hibiscus - description
The garden hibiscus plant can be a tree, shrub, or herbaceous plant. For example, the hibiscus tree in the garden is a Syrian rose, which is grown both as a standard tree and as a shrub up to one and a half meters high. And herbaceous hibiscus is represented by varieties of hybrid hibiscus. Herbaceous forms of the plant can be annuals, although gardeners are much more attracted to perennial hibiscus.
Despite differences in form, All hibiscus have common features. Hibiscus leaves are more or less incised, petiolate. Hibiscus flowers are large, bright, simple or double, with a wide range of colors - white, yellow, crimson, dark red, lilac, blue, purple and purple. There are varieties with a border around the edge of the petals or with an eye in a contrasting color. Hibiscus fruits are five-leaved boxes with seeds. Today, apart from garden species, there are about five hundred forms and varieties of hibiscus.
planting hibiscus
When to plant hibiscus
Before planting, think carefully about where your hibiscus will grow, because the choice of location determines how long the plant will decorate your garden - with the right site and good care Hibiscus grows in one place up to 20 years! Hibiscus seedlings are planted in the spring, when the threat of night frosts has passed, so that they can take root and grow stronger over the summer. Ideal for hibiscus is a bright and wind-protected place with light, fertile, moisture-permeable soil - one that is good for planting roses. You can generally arrange hibiscus among roses, they get along fine.
How to plant hibiscus
If you are planting tree hibiscus, the hole for it should be twice as large as the root system of the seedling. Placed at the bottom of the pit drainage layer from broken bricks about 15 cm thick, then a ten-centimeter layer of sand, a layer of compost 15 cm thick and again a layer of sand of the same thickness. To fill the hole, mix upper layer soil, taken out during the preparation of the pit, with peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 4: 1, carefully place the root ball in the pit so that the root collar is just under the ground, and fill the pit with the prepared mixture. Then spud the seedling so that an extensive recess for moisture forms around it, water the plant in this circle, and when the water is absorbed, pour it into the recess of the earth, leveling the surface of the site. If you have a need to plant hibiscus in the fall, be sure to mulch trunk circle and tie the plant with spruce branches.
Hibiscus Care
Growing hibiscus
Caring for garden hibiscus is very simple and not laborious. As soon as young green shoots appear on the hibiscus, remove the old dried stems from it. Loosen the soil around the hibiscus regularly, remove weeds, and make sure that the hibiscus bush does not thicken too much. During the active growing season, from June to September, hibiscus needs top dressing with a high content of phosphorus and nitrogen twice a month, and in the fall, when preparing the plant for winter, potash fertilizers are applied in addition to phosphorus. Unfortunately, hibiscus flower lives only a day, but with good care, the plant blooms so profusely that instead of one flower, another immediately opens, so do not forget to remove wilted flowers in time.
watering hibiscus
Hibiscus care includes regular watering of the plant, especially during the hot season, but you need to water the ground under the hibiscus only after it has completely dried. If the dry period drags on, be prepared to water the hibiscus daily.
In the photo: Hibiscus bloom in the garden
pruning hibiscus
Hibiscus pruning is carried out for sanitary purposes, as well as for the sake of giving a tree or bush a certain shape. Many people prefer to grow hibiscus in the form of a tree, but this will take time and patience. In a young, just planted plant, the branches are shortened to the level of two or three buds, without cutting off only a well-developed trunk. In subsequent years, at the end of winter, prune side shoots up to one or two buds, and the stem - up to 5-6 buds. When the stem reaches the required height, form a tree crown from strong shoots, shortening them by several buds. Remove the undergrowth and lightly trim the top of the trunk.
How to prune hibiscus in order to maintain plant hygiene? Sanitary pruning is carried out in early spring, before the start of sap flow. Old, diseased, underdeveloped shoots growing inside the bush are completely removed, and last year's growth is shortened by a third, which greatly stimulates the laying of new flower buds.
Remember: the stronger the hibiscus is cut, the more young shoots it will give, which means that its flowering will be more abundant.
Rejuvenating haircut an aged bush involves the removal of all old, dead branches and the shortening of the remaining shoots inside the bush by two-thirds. It would be better to cut the branches around the main shoot to different heights - this will give the bush a beautiful shape.
In the photo: How hibiscus blooms
Hibiscus transplant
If you have a need to repot the hibiscus, do it in early spring, after cutting the shoots to half length and before flowering begins, in the order already described. How to care for hibiscus after transplanting? Be sure to water the plant abundantly, but otherwise treat it as described in the previous sections, and in a year it will already bloom. If you are repotting a hybrid hibiscus, dividing the hibiscus rhizome can be done at the same time as the transplant.
Reproduction of garden hibiscus
How to propagate hibiscus
As you can see, both planting and caring for hibiscus are within the power of even beginner gardeners. Just as simple is the reproduction of hibiscus, and the care of it after reproduction. Garden hibiscus (Syrian) is propagated by layering, grafting, but most often by cuttings and seeds. Hybrid hibiscus is propagated by dividing the bush, grafting and green cuttings.
Pictured: Orange hibiscus
Hibiscus from seed
Growing hibiscus from seeds begins from January to March. Before sowing, hibiscus seeds are soaked for half an hour in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, and then for a day in a small amount of epin solution so that the seeds are barely covered with it. After that, the seeds are sown in containers with a mixture of sand and peat, covered with glass and placed in a warm place where the temperature is kept within 25-27 ºC, it would be nice to arrange a container with bottom heating for sowing.
It is also necessary to regularly ventilate the seed container, remove condensation and moisten the substrate.
When the seedlings develop the first leaves, they are seated in personal pots. Make sure that the seedlings do not stretch: if they lack light, they will have to arrange artificial lighting for seedlings. Hibiscus seedlings are planted in open ground in mid-May. Strong specimens can be planted immediately in a permanent place, while weaker specimens are planted for growing on a training bed at a distance of about half a meter between specimens. Garden hibiscus, unlike hybrid hibiscus, also propagates by self-sowing.
Propagation of hibiscus cuttings
For vegetative propagation in summer, cuttings of hibiscus with two or three internodes are cut, the lower sections of the cuttings are treated with a growth stimulator, then they are planted in greenhouses with a peat substrate and bottom heating is organized. Rooting of hibiscus occurs within a month, after which the cuttings are transplanted into pots with leafy soil, peat, soddy soil and sand in equal parts, watered regularly, and when new shoots grow up, they are pinched to stimulate tillering. As soon as a bush is formed, it is transplanted into open ground, and if there is decent care for it, hibiscus from the cutting will bloom in the first year after planting. Experienced flower growers it is possible to root cuttings of hibiscus not in the ground, but in water.
In the photo: Large hibiscus flower
Pests and diseases of hibiscus
Harmful insects and diseases of hibiscus
Hibiscus is rarely affected by insects and diseases, but if it suffers from a lack of moisture for a long time during dry times, it can be occupied by thrips, aphids, whiteflies and spider mites. To eliminate pests, you will have to resort to double treatment of the plant with insecticides Actellik, Fitoverm, Inta-vir, Karbofos with an interval of a week or ten days.
Of all known diseases, hibiscus in the garden most often affects chlorosis - lower leaves hibiscus fall off, and new ones grow yellowish. This happens due to a lack of nitrogen and iron in the soil, so iron chelate should be added to the water for irrigation, and in the spring, do not forget to add a complex mineral fertilizer containing nitrogen to the soil.
In the photo: Growing hibiscus in open ground
Hibiscus turns yellow
Hibiscus leaves turn yellow from chlorosis, as well as in case of injury to the root system, which the plant could have received during transplantation. If the hibiscus turns yellow due to the roots, then it is necessary to add Zircon or Kornevin to the water for irrigation (see instructions) and for spraying the leaves (three drops per half liter of water). Hibiscus leaves turn yellow and as a result of insufficient watering in a hot, dry summer.
Hibiscus not blooming
If you planted a hibiscus in a bright, spacious area and take care of it, as required by agricultural technology, but nevertheless it does not want to bloom, most likely it is a lack of phosphorus and boron. And if the shoots have slowed down their growth, then the problem is also a lack of nitrogen. Do not forget to make the necessary fertilizers for hibiscus on time, and it will definitely bloom.
Hibiscus leaves are falling
If the leaves of the hibiscus fall in the fall, this is a natural process, but if this happens prematurely, then the problem is either due to improper watering (insufficient or excessive), or the root of the plant is injured. For guidance on how to deal with these cases, see the previous sections.
In the photo: Hibiscus in a flower bed
Hibiscus after flowering
Hibiscus in autumn in the garden
Almost all hybrid perennial hibiscus are winter-hardy, they can be grown throughout Ukraine, and in Russia - only south of Moscow, but subject to shelter for the winter. The ground part of the hybrid hibiscus dies off in autumn, so it is cut off almost to the surface level and burned, the remains of the bush are watered abundantly, and after that they are highly earthed, and the site, in case of too cold or snowless winter, is mulched with sawdust or dry fallen leaves. Next spring, the powerful rhibiscus hybrid will give new shoots, which will bloom beautiful flowers.
How to winter hibiscus
How does garden hibiscus, or Syrian, winter? In the conditions of the middle lane, he needs mandatory shelter, especially if you grow terry plant varieties. Some gardeners living in regions with severe winters dig up hibiscus, place them in a container or large pot, and keep them until spring in the basement or in another cool room, and plant them again in open ground in the spring. If you decide that your hibiscus will winter in the garden, in the second or third decade of November, when the air temperature will be between -5 ºC and -10 ºC, build a frame around the hibiscus, on which you can stretch lutrasil, spanbond or agrotex. If in your area there are no frosts stronger than 15 ºC, your hibiscus will be reliably protected by such structures.
In the photo: Hibiscus bloom
However, the best way to protect hibiscus from frost, and at the same time to avoid their dampening under materials that do not allow air to pass through, is to cover hibiscus bushes with spruce branches that accumulate snow on themselves and prevent the hibiscus from scorching and overheating. The plant is covered with spruce branches in three layers, laying branches like a hut, after tying the hibiscus bush with a rope and putting a sackcloth bag on it. However, rodents often climb into such shelters and eat the bark on the hibiscus in the heat, dooming the plant to death. In order to prevent mice or rats from killing your plant, lay mousetraps around the hibiscus or place baits under the shelter - wheat poisoned by rodent poison.
Types and varieties of garden hibiscus
Garden hibiscus is represented mainly by varieties of Syrian hibiscus, however, other types of plants, as well as their varieties, are grown in culture.
Syrian hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus)
Surprisingly, it comes from China, not Syria. In nature, plants of this species reach a height of 5-6 meters and are deciduous shrubs with bright green ovate leaves about 10 cm long and single flowers of different colors. In culture, except for hibiscus with simple flowers, terry hibiscus is grown, and the shape of the plant can be either bush or standard. Of the popular varieties, the most interesting are:
- Diana- shrub up to 2 m high with white flowers wavy along the edge of the petals with a diameter of about 12 cm;
- Vyelith Ilar Double- very powerful upright bush with double or semi double flowers violet-blue hue with red spots in the middle;
- Pink Giant- bush with single pink flowers with a purple spot at the base of the petals;
- Carneus Plenus- shrub with flexible shoots and double pale-pink flowers with a purple spot in the middle.
In the photo: Syrian hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus)
Hibiscus trifoliate (Hibiscus trionum)
The species is native to central and North Africa, although today it is widely grown in all areas of irrigated agriculture. The root of this plant is taproot, the stem is straight, branched, up to 80 cm high. The leaves are tripartite, petiolate, alternate, with pubescence. The flowers are yellowish, up to 4 cm in diameter, with a dark red middle.
A feature of the species is that the flowers open in the morning for only a few hours, and close in the afternoon.
The flowering of plants of this species lasts more than a month, because a new bud of hibiscus is formed in the axil of each leaf, and when creating optimal conditions for hibiscus trifoliate, new flowers will appear daily.
In the photo: Hibiscus trifoliate (Hibiscus trionum)
Hibiscus hybrid (Hibiscus hybrida)
In addition to these two species, which grow both in the wild and in culture, hybrid hibiscus and its varieties are grown as garden plants. As already mentioned, this hybrid was bred by crossing three North American species - holly (armed), bright red and marsh hibiscus. hybrid hibiscus- herbaceous perennials, which are spectacular and very large flowers. The best varieties:
- Youth- a bush up to one and a half meters high, slightly branched, stems of a light yellow-green hue, from which shoots depart at an angle of 60º. The leaves are also yellow-green, three- or five-cut. Pink flowers with a white bottom and a bowl, up to 10 cm in diameter, have the shape of a tulip;
- Late- a bush of compact shape, about a meter high and of the same diameter, densely leafy with serrated, oval-arrow-shaped leaves with light veins on thick petioles. Flowers, raspberry-pink lilac shade in the form of narrow bells up to 7 cm in diameter, open on short thick peduncles;
In the photo: Hibiscus hybrid (Hibiscus hybrida)
- Pale pink- a herbaceous shrub up to 170 cm high with short shoots extending at an angle of 60º from the branches, with yellow-green triangular leaves with a serrated edge and tulip-shaped pink flowers up to 12 cm in diameter with a white bottom and a bowl;
- Pink porcelain- bush up to 130 cm, branched stems, yellow-green, leaves deeply incised with a wide, protruding middle lobe, dusty yellow-green hue, on petioles up to 6 cm long. Large bell-shaped light pink flowers with a barely noticeable yellowness and a white throat, up to 12 cm in diameter, sit in bunches on short peduncles. , Blooming ,
When the orchard is already full of juicy fruits, garden hibiscus becomes the main favorite of southern gardeners. Care and reproduction, cultivation features, varieties and varieties, photos of hibiscus flowers - all this will main theme our conversation. Few people will leave a huge hibiscus flower indifferent. This is an incredibly beautiful garden plant, in some ways even exotic.
What could be more attractive than flower beds decorating your garden? Undoubtedly, blooming trees, bushes. Not many people know what hibiscus is. But almost all flower growers know what a Chinese rose is. But these plants are from the same family - mallow.
Hibiscus - types and varieties
There are wild and cultivated species. There are annuals and perennials. Of these, tree-like, shrubby, herbaceous species can be distinguished.
Wikipedia, by the way, gives its classification of species:
- Hemp, or Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus) - used by the spinning industry of some tropical countries;
- Chinese, or Chinese rose ( Hibiscus rosa sinensis) - room culture;
- Rosella, or Sabdarifa or Sudanese rose ( Hibiscus sabdariffa) - from the mallow family, common in tropical countries, was originally bred in India;
- Syriac ( Hibiscus syriacus) - common perennial species in Russia for cultivation in open ground. Frost-resistant, perennial, shrubby;
- Tripartite or Northern ( Hibiscus syriacus) – annual herbaceous plant growing on mountain slopes, along the rivers and lakes of Asia, India, the Mediterranean, etc.
Separately, another species is mentioned separately - Swamp or Musk ( Hibiscus moscheutos) is a perennial herbaceous plant, a favorite of gardeners in southern Russia. In winter, the aerial part dies off.
Let's try to figure out what types of hibiscus exist. We take as a basis the classification according to the methods of growth and forms of development: herbaceous, shrubby, tree-like.
- Herbaceous - tall shrub with strong erect branches, large leaves, large flowers. The diameter of the flower (depending on the variety) can reach 40 cm. The bush dies off annually in the fall, and in the spring it throws out young shoots again.
Grassy - Shrub - slow growing deciduous shrub with many branches. Blooms profusely all season. The flowers are medium in size from 5 to 25 cm in diameter. By the way, all shrub species can be formed into one trunk, getting beautiful flowering trees.
shrubby - Tree-like - a single-stemmed deciduous tree that can grow up to 5-6 meters tall. The whole season is covered with flowers up to 12 cm in diameter.
treelike A common feature of all varieties: the flower lives only a day, but at the same time one faded bud is immediately replaced by a new blooming one, so flowering seems to be constant.
Now there are new varieties - flowers can stay fresh for more than one day. But it all depends on the degree of illumination. The more sunny the place you have chosen for your pet, the longer the life of one flower. But still, the flowering period is short - from one to 2-3 days.
Landscape designers are very fond of garden hibiscus of all kinds. City gardens, parks are often decorated with shrub species. And in a private courtyard, summer cottages more and more herbaceous species can be found.
herbaceous hibiscus
These are hybrids that were bred by crossing three varieties of North American origin - holly, pink, red. This is a perennial, which, after withering of the ground part, provided that the root system is covered, can withstand frosts down to -30ºС.
The rhizome of one specimen is quite powerful, looks like a tuber. The bush blooms from mid-summer to late autumn. Ten or more flowers can bloom at the same time.
Herbaceous varieties are in great demand due to large (up to 30-40 cm in diameter) bright colorful flowers (white, red, pink, burgundy, etc.), sometimes double.
The height of this plant can reach three meters. Branches reach this length in one season.
Among the herbaceous, the most popular with gardeners: marsh. Why are they called so? Because for the first time a whole thicket of this is unbelievable beautiful plant have been found in swamps along the Mississippi River where they are perennials. In our country, they also belong to the perennial, but with the aerial part of the bush dying off in winter.
Bolotny In flowerbeds, herbaceous varieties look great along with undersized neighbors. For example, in the center of the rose garden, your pet will be a majestic king.
Huge flowers the size of a plate will surprise not only you, but your guests, neighbors, just passers-by.
Varieties of herbaceous hibiscus
Variety Copper King - compact bush. The round compact shape is achieved by annual formation of no more than 120 cm in height. Dark green, openwork, shaped like maple leaves can change color, which depends on the ambient temperature. The flowers are large, up to 30 cm in diameter, the color of strawberry mousse is white-pink with bright pink stripes. The heart of the flower is purple-red. Disease resistant.
Copper King Variety Cranberry Crush - grows round, lush bush with landscaping from the roots, 90-120 cm high. It has green feathery foliage with purple veins. Flowers large up to 25 cm in diameter, juicy burgundy with dark stripes on the petals.
Cranberry Crash Variety Old Yella is a strong bush with strong shoots up to 100-120 cm high, with landscaping from the roots. The leaf is green, pinnate, maple-shaped, with a purple tint in sunlight. The flowers are huge 30 cm in diameter, white or cream in color with a red core. The petals are wavy.
Old Yella Separately, participants in various forums discuss garden yellow herbaceous hibiscus - this species has several varieties, but, according to some flower growers, they can all be only annuals! They write in plain text: “Do not believe if they try to sell you a perennial yellow, such a hybrid does not exist, although breeders are trying to achieve this. This species will have to be sown from seed every year.”
But, nevertheless, some amateur gardeners claim that they grow yellow perennials. Perhaps you, the reader, can clarify? If your garden is decorated with this flower, have experience in care, cultivation, write a comment.
shrub hibiscus
Among the shrubs, the most popular is Syrian, which has many varieties. Its flowers are smaller in size than those of the herbaceous species, reach a diameter of 12 cm. The color is varied: flowers are purple, white, red, there are varieties with a two-tone color.
The magnificence of flowers of some varieties is complemented by long pistils with fluffy stamens that attract bees and butterflies.
With proper care, the bush is usually abundantly strewn with flowers, looks very delicate, although it grows more slowly than grassy. In a bright place, protected from the wind, the scorching sun, the bush can grow up to 20 years.
The bush reaches a height of two to three meters, less often four to six, and a width of 1.5 meters.
But having acquired a young specimen, do not be tormented by the question: why the hibiscus does not bloom. The Syrian shrub blooms only after 3-4 years.
Varieties of shrub hibiscus
Variety Ardens – perennial deciduous shrub growing up to 2-3 meters tall. Easily shaped like a standard tree. Dense flowering is quite large (up to 14 cm) double flowers of lavender or pale pink.
ardens Variety Blue Satin is a perennial spreading deciduous shrub. The height can be up to 4-6 meters. Often they are formed with a trunk to make the bush a compact tree, or with one trunk, removing excess shoots in the first years of life. The flowers are large 15 cm in diameter, blue, azure and cornflower blue flowers. The color depth depends on the lighting, the more it is, the richer color flowers.
Blue Satin tree hibiscus
Tree-like is a great solution for beginner flower growers - because it is quite unpretentious. The main advantage is that it winters well in the south, without requiring additional shelter, except perhaps in the first years. The tree differs from shrub species, only outwardly - one trunk, which can branch out at a height of about half a meter. The photo below is a young four-year tree. This is his second bloom.
An adult plant can grow up to 5 meters tall, even higher.
Tree hibiscus in Sevastopol The leaves of the tree-like are large, bright green, the flowers are medium in size, brightly colored, there are also terry, two- or three-color.
How to care for hibiscus
Any variety of this plant loves the sun or bright light. Care is not complicated - timely watering, weeding, regular fertilizing with nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers with a monthly frequency, at least. In hot weather, top dressing at the root should be avoided; it is better to spray nutrient fertilizers on the leaf.
Closer to autumn, it is necessary to apply potash fertilizers, stopping nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizing, this will help prepare for wintering.
It is worth noting that all garden hibiscus love rotted needles. It can be added to the planting hole when transplanting or planting seedlings, it can also be used to mulch the rhizome area.
Many gardeners like to pamper their plants with a summer foliage shower, Hibiscus will not refuse this pleasure. The main thing to remember is to carry out water procedures» is possible only closer to sunset, when the sun no longer burns the leaves.
An alarming sign can be the simultaneous withering of all flowers - the plant lacks moisture! Urgent plentiful watering will help to revive.
To protect against the main enemy of your pet - aphids, it is recommended to plant lavender bushes nearby, the aroma of which will scare away pests.
Herbaceous, as well as some shrubby varieties, require shelter for the winter, so many gardeners prefer tree-like representatives of the genus because of their ability to delight with their beauty for many years without special care and preservation of pets in winter.
It is worth paying attention to the features of caring for different species.
Features of caring for herbaceous hibiscus
Watering, fertilizing, weeding, as in all species.
With the onset of autumn, the stem, leaves, wilted flowers die off. Nutrients from them are gradually absorbed by the root system. This makes it more developed, stronger, makes it easier to endure frosty winters.
That is why you should not cut the stems of herbaceous species before they are completely dry. In the south, where there is often no natural shelter in the form of snow, an artificial one should be created correctly.
The first thing we do: cut off the dried above-ground part, spill it well with water, loosen, spud the rhizome zone. You can sprinkle with humus or mulch. Suitable sawdust, fallen leaves, dry grass, coniferous litter. If it is needles, then in the spring it can not be removed, but left on top, slightly mixed with the ground by loosening.
The resulting bump should be covered from above with white soft covering material, pressing it with stones or branches, building a kind of hut. When the frosts pass, carefully release the stumps of the plant from the warming pillow, being careful not to damage the buds. Indeed, already in May, young shoots appear, in which it is advised to pinch the tops for splendor.
Every three years it is necessary to divide the rhizome of the herbaceous hibiscus, so that its flowering does not weaken, its flowering does not shrink. After all, every season the number of shoots triples. Becomes harder fight for nutrients and moisture. In the first year of life, the number of main shoots is one, in the second two to nine, more often five, but after three years - there are already three times as many. The time comes for the division of the bush, which, by the way, is one of the ways of its reproduction.
Syrian Hibiscus Care
An adult shrub tolerates our Kuban winter well, and it is better to wrap the branches of a young pet (1-2 years old) with white covering material, and sprinkle the rhizome area with humus or mulch well. The root cover layer must be at least 15 cm high. Do not forget to free the plant from it in the spring!
The Syrian species wakes up quite late, do not be afraid - it should be so, it's just a certain feature of it.
Shrub fertilizers like phosphorus fertilizers (for example, Bud), which activate flowering. Closer to autumn, you need to start introducing potash preparations to prepare the shrub for wintering. Tree care differs only in that in winter it can not be covered. The exception is young seedlings, which should still be covered for the first 1-2 winters.
How hibiscus reproduces
It depends on the species. For example, tree-like varieties can only be propagated by cuttings, grafting, and seeds.
Shrub, in addition to cuttings, grafting, sowing seeds, can be propagated by layering.
Herbaceous plants are most easily propagated by dividing the bush, but the methods of grafting and sowing with seeds listed above are also inherent in them.
Propagation by seeds is not difficult: it is produced like any sowing without any special tricks.
Work starts from January to March. First, it is recommended to soak the seeds for 10-12 hours in Epin's solution. After that, rinse them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
For sowing, you will need a container, a mixture of sand and peat, as well as shelter (glass, polyethylene or cling film). Soaked seeds are sown in wet ground, take cover. So that the shoots do not keep themselves waiting, the temperature should be maintained at about + 25ºС. Also, do not forget to ventilate the container with crops, remove drops of condensate, and, if necessary, moisten the soil surface. After the seedlings have leaves, they can be planted in separate pots.
And in May, stronger seedlings move to a permanent place, and their weak counterparts to a temporary one - for growing.
When propagated by seeds, garden hibiscus will bloom for 3-4 seasons. Please note that it may not retain the decorativeness of its parent. Therefore, seed propagation is not the most The best way buy a flower with exactly the properties that you liked so much.
Propagation by cuttings is the most popular method among hobbyists. It can be done in two ways.
- Cuttings cut in summer with 3-4 buds are lowered into the water with the addition of Kornevin or another root system growth stimulator. After the roots appear, the cuttings are planted first in containers with peat soil for wintering, and in spring - in open ground.
- Cuttings cut in summer with 3-4 buds are treated with a root system growth stimulator in the same way as in the first method. But after that, they are immediately planted in greenhouse containers with wet peat for rooting. The cuttings that have given roots are planted in pots for the winter, and in the spring they are planted in open ground.
When cuttings, there is a high probability that your pet will delight you with its flowering in the first year.
Propagation of garden hibiscus by dividing the bush is more suitable for herbaceous varieties. By the way, dividing the rhizome is a necessary technique for caring for herbaceous species to maintain high-quality flowering. This is one of the fastest, most convenient ways to reproduce.
In early spring, carefully dig out a bush of 3-4 years of age with a pitchfork, divide the rhizome with a knife or shovel. As a rule: one trunk - one separate plant. When dividing older bushes, 2-3 trunks are allowed for one new copy.
Sprinkle slices with ash or crushed coal.
The resulting parts of the rhizome should be planted immediately. Well-spilled landing pits with nutrient soil must be prepared in advance.
We fill the rhizomes with earth, tamp the surface, water again. After two weeks, you can carry out the first nitrogen fertilizing. With such care, the separated bushes quickly sprout, delight their owners with flowering in the first season after planting.
Reproduction by layering and grafting should be left to professionals, since these methods will require not only skills and knowledge, but also special tools, patience, composure, which are not always compatible with amateur gardeners. Especially when fast, reliable results are required.
Pruning hibiscus in autumn or spring when it's best
It is important to know how pruning affects garden hibiscus, when to produce it, and whether it is needed at all.
They say that young bushes should not be pruned. But it's not. Needs to be cut! It is necessary to start doing this as early as possible in order to give the plant a shape, splendor, and increase flowering. After all, flower buds are laid only on young shoots.
Regular spring pruning This is a necessary annual care. It is also called hygienic or stimulating. Such pruning is recommended starting from February, until the bushes or trees wake up, until the sap flow begins. Do not be afraid to cut off the excess, last year's shoots must be mercilessly shortened by 1/3 of their length. Your pet will thank you with a plentiful laying of flower buds.
Anti-aging pruning of hibiscus in the fall is carried out in adult specimens. For example, your bush has reached a huge size or is too thick. Cut out old dry branches, thin out the plant, leaving only the main skeletal ones.
Landscape designers advise leaving the central branch longer than the others. The shape of the crown will be more attractive.
A tree-like representative can form a crown with pruning, for example, make it spherical.
Regular anti-aging pruning (once every 3 years) will strengthen the skeleton of a shrub or tree.
What is hibiscus, the types of which were described above, you learned, got acquainted with the rules for caring for it, the features of pruning. Now you can decide which variety your garden lacks, feel free to get yourself a Chinese beauty.
Hibiscus - signs, superstitions, traditions
Is there some more Interesting Facts about which it is impossible not to say.
This flower is said to have magic power.
Someone calls it the flower of love - supposedly it gives a huge amount of energy that can resurrect a departed love or light a new one in the family where it grows.
Oddly enough, there is a scientific explanation for this: the nectar of a flower is an aphrodisiac, so it may well strengthen family relationships.
And doctors say that everyone should have hibiscus at home or in the garden, beneficial features which is precisely in its exquisite aroma, containing phytoncides that suppress some carcinogens.
Well, the second loud popular name is garden hibiscus - the flower of death. Why? There are several reasons.
There is a legend that if the hibiscus bloomed out of time, got out of rhythm, then, then, expect trouble.
Also, a withering, drying plant supposedly portends serious illness one of the members of the family where he grows up.
All this, of course, is superstition. To believe or not is everyone's business.
Whatever superstition tells us, give up growing beautiful flower impossible.
There are interesting traditions associated with hibiscus in different countries peace. It is very interesting. For example, this plant is the national flower of several countries - Haiti, South Korea, Malaysia.
And the Filipinos use it in the manufacture of the base for soap bubbles, crushing foliage, flowers until a sticky liquid is obtained.
The hibiscus flower is traditionally worn on the head of the girls and women of the Hawaiian Islands. Moreover, if the flower is in the hair on the left, then the woman is not free. And if the flower is on the right, then this person is open to relationships.
Plant your garden hibiscus! Care and reproduction does not require much effort. There are a huge number of species and varieties. The color scheme will satisfy even the most demanding landscape designer. This wonderful plant will decorate your garden for many years, make it unique, amazing.
Garden hibiscus - photo
Summer Storm 
Fire ball 
Royal James 
The mallow family is a shrub or small tree native to Asia and China.
Due to the abundant and bright flowering, it is called the "flower of love."
There are several varieties of hibiscus adapted to grow at home and in the garden. IN natural environment There are about 300 species, the height of which reaches 3 m.
During the holidays, Hawaiian girls use the hibiscus flower as hair ornaments.
In Europe, the flower is endowed with magical powers. By changing his condition, the future was foreseen. Dropping leaves or drying of a flower indicated possible problems and sickness in the family. The premature appearance of flowers testified to imminent death, and in general the plant symbolized death and misfortune to those who plant it in their home. Of course, much of this legend, hibiscus continues to delight gardeners today with its flowering and charm, filling the house with positive energy.
Due to the wonderful aroma, garden hibiscus flowers are used to make tea, under the well-known name "hibiscus tea". Plant care is not difficult and is suitable for growing novice gardeners.
Description: a flowering bush plant of small height with abundant flowering various colors. Hibiscus garden prefers tropical and subtropical climates with high humidity. This is a representative of the Malvaceae family, an annual and perennial plant, it all depends on the variety. In our climate, only some frost-resistant varieties can grow on open ground: these include garden hibiscus, Syrian (triple), hybrid (bred in the 50s).
Chinese hibiscus (Chinese rose) in our latitudes can only exist as a room-decorative flowering plant, only occasionally summer days the pot is taken out into the open air.
There are three forms of plants: tree-like, shrub or semi-shrub, herbaceous.
Tree-like appearance: Syrian rose up to 1.5 m high. Hybrid forms are herbaceous.
Depending on the species, there is a specific arrangement of hibiscus in the garden.
Low-growing herbaceous plants make beautiful borders. Bush varieties complement bouquets of roses and other decorative flowering shrubs. Treelike hibiscus in combination with standard flowering plants perfectly creates a unique composition.
The leaves are small oval, dark green solid color.
Simple and funnel-shaped double flowers in diameter reach 12 cm, there are pink, red, purple, yellow, white, lilac, crimson, purple with big amount shades. In the center of the flower, a peephole is clearly visible, contrastingly different from the petals. There are hybrid forms with two-color branches.
Hibiscus with double flowers are less resistant to frost, consider the features of your climate zone when planting in open ground.
Long flowering begins in June and ends in early October. The flowering of one flower lasts 1 day, the long flowering of the bush is achieved by uneven flowering, the flowers bloom alternately creating an effect for 5-6 months flowering bush. Frost-resistant varieties can withstand frosts down to -20 ° C.
The fruit is a five-leaved capsule with seeds in the middle.
To protect hibiscus from aphids, lavender bushes are planted nearby.
Garden hibiscus - types
Hibiscus - home care
Plant care is not difficult, but to obtain positive results and long flowering, you need to know the basic concepts and features of planting, care and reproduction. Proper Care will extend the life of the plant up to 15 years.
Location: tropical plant prefers a warm climate and plenty of sun. Choose a cozy, well-lit place in the garden with partial shelter from the winds.
Watering: during the hot period, regular watering is required, but water stagnation in the soil is unacceptable. The next watering is carried out after the topsoil has dried. In the hot period, water every day in the morning or in the evening.
Planting: Hibiscus are planted in early spring, when the night temperature rises above 0 ° C. Regularly loosen the soil around and remove the weed. All new shoots that appear are removed.
Soil: Subtropical hibiscus requires nutritious and permeable soil. Choose fertile soil rich in humus. At home, hibiscus grows well in pots. Choose soil from sod (3 hours), leafy soil (3 hours), with the addition of sand (1 hour) and humus (1 hour).
Transplanting: For young plants, it is necessary to regularly update the soil. After planting and rooting, after 2 months, the hibiscus is transplanted into a pot. Don't choose a pot that's too big. Previously, a layer of expanded clay is laid on the bottom as a drainage, otherwise the roots may begin to rot.
Transplanted into open ground in the spring in the absence of night frosts. The bush is transplanted in the spring before the buds appear, the young shoots are cut off in half beforehand.
Hybrid forms during transplantation are divided into parts, receiving several bushes at once.
Young plants cannot winter on their own, they need additional shelter. Transplanting in the fall includes mulching the soil around the bush and wrapping it with spruce branches.
Previously, a hole of 50-70 cm is dug at the landing site. Drainage and expanded clay are laid on the bottom up to 15 cm, 10 cm of sand on top and the same layer of compost and again a layer of sand.
Place the bush in a hole so that the root neck is at ground level, and cover the roots with prepared soil from sand (1 hour), peat (2 hours), garden soil (4 hours). Around the seedling, the earth is spudded and watered abundantly. After soaking the water into the soil, add the missing soil around the seedling, leveling it.
Fertilizers: mineral fertilizers are applied in the spring complex fertilizers 2-3 times a month with a high content of nitrogen and phosphorus. In the fall, they are fed with potash fertilizer, so the hibiscus will endure frosts more easily.
Reproduction of garden hibiscus
There are three ways to grow garden hibiscus: seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush (for certain types), we will consider each method in detail.
Seeds: in February, the seeds are sown in a small container. The earth is used from peat and sand in the same ratio. Previously, for better germination, I soak the seeds for 30 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, then put them in a weak solution of a growth stimulator (epin) for a day. Sow seeds on the surface, lightly sprinkled with earth on top. The container is placed in a mini greenhouse, covered plastic bag, or a glass flask. Seeds are carefully watered from the sprayer, avoiding their ascent. The temperature is kept at 25 ° C, the container is ventilated 2 times a day. To speed up the germination process, use the bottom heating.
So that young shoots do not stretch, it is necessary to provide a large amount of diffused light. As soon as 3 own leaves appear, the seedlings are seated in bowls (separate containers). Young sprouts are transplanted to open ground in May, when the air and soil warm up well. Flowering in seedlings grown from seeds will come in the 3rd year.
Cuttings: in spring - early summer, the upper shoots are cut from the hibiscus bush with 3 nodes as a cutting. The lower part of the cuttings is treated in a growth stimulator, left for 24 hours, then rooted in soil consisting of sand and peat, taken in equal proportions.
The cutting can also be rooted in water, but this method requires skill.
The cutting is buried in the ground to the knot, the container is covered with a film or a glass flask from above. Keep a constant temperature of 24-26 ° C, water regularly and ventilate 2 times a day. A month later, the cutting will have its own roots and it is transplanted into the soil from soddy and leafy soil, peat and sand in equal proportions and pinched to give the shape of a bush. After the formation of the bush, the cutting is transplanted to open ground at a distance of 0.5 m. If everything is done correctly, the garden hibiscus from the cutting will bloom in the first year.
The division of the rhizomes: During the transplantation period, as a rule, in the spring, the roots are divided into several parts and planted in the ground at a distance of 0.5 m. Suitable for this method hybrid varieties. In this way, flowering is obtained in the current year.
pruning garden hibiscus
Pruning is carried out in the spring, before the appearance of buds and leaves. For shaping a decorative stem tree, young plant cut the shoots, leaving 3 buds, while not touching the trunk. A few years later, the trunk is cut to 6 buds, and the branches to 1-2. Upon reaching the desired height, the lower branches on the trunk are removed, and a rounded crown is formed from the upper ones.
All pruning is best done before sap flow begins. All dry branches are completely pruned.
If you do not have a goal to create an ornamental tree, cut off last year's branches by a third, removing all growing inward, weak and low-quality shoots.
If the hibiscus is not pruned, new shoots will not appear in such numbers and the flowering becomes smaller and smaller every year.
Wintering garden hibiscus
For the northern and central parts of Russia and in other countries where significant frosts are present in winter, even frost-resistant hibiscus varieties may not overwinter without shelter.
Some varieties, such as tree hibiscus, shed their leaves in autumn.
More resistant to frost are species with non-double flowering.
Before the onset of frost, in the fall, the bush is highly spudded with earth with the addition of river sand, pre-watered abundantly and allowed to dry well. Then, to a height of 20-30 cm, they are covered with sawdust, moss, rotted manure or spruce branches.
The branches are gently bent down, and a frame is created from above and covered with a cloth (lutrasil, spunbond or agrotex) and everything is covered with coniferous branches. At severe frosts, the whole plant is covered with spruce branches. It is laid in three layers from the roots to the branches, after lowering and tying the branches, or by constructing a frame.
If there are a small number of bushes on the site, and you have the opportunity to keep them indoors, the bushes are dug up, transplanted into a pot (bucket) and kept all winter in a cool basement, and re-planted in the garden in the spring.
Pests and diseases
garden hibiscus despite being grown in outdoor garden resistant to pests, but insufficient watering and low humidity can provoke the appearance of pests such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, whiteflies.
For their destruction, drugs Actellik, Inta-vir, Karbofos, Fitoferm, etc. are used. It is necessary to process several times with an interval of 5-7 days.
In addition to pests, the plant is exposed to various diseases.
- Chloris. A disease that affects the leaf plate. Young leaves grow already yellow, and the old ones turn yellow and fall off. The main reason is the lack of mineral fertilizers, in particular nitrogen and iron. It is necessary to add iron chelate to the water during irrigation and regularly apply mineral fertilizers for flowering ornamental plants with a high nitrogen content.
- Another reason for yellowed leaves is partial damage to the roots during transplantation.
- In the hot period, lack of moisture also leads to yellowing of the foliage.
No flowering There are several reasons, let's look at each of them.
- Insufficient lighting. In such cases, the hibiscus may not bloom, or the flowering is scarce and small, the period lasts very little, the shoots are drawn out.
- Insufficient amount of boron and phosphorus. Add missing substances and minerals to watering.
- Lack of flowering and slow growth of the bush - not enough nitrogen in the soil. Remember to fertilize regularly.
- Leaves fall - natural fall of leaves can only be in autumn, in another period this indicates a violation of care.
- Hibiscus reacts quite strongly to humidity and a lack or excess of water can affect the foliage.
- Also, leaf fall is associated with mechanical damage root system.
Tropical plants have gained unusually wide popularity in areas with temperate climatic conditions. Growing hibiscus, for example, is a process that is not particularly difficult. It is enough to remember the basic techniques regarding the care shrub flower, and be aware of the main features of the species itself. What is a garden hibiscus plant, how to grow it on own site how to propagate hibiscus? Read about it below.
perennial shrub hibiscus is primarily distinguished by the presence of large flowers, the diameter of which can be about 12 cm. The buds have a variety of shades, but among the most common are white, red and purple. Interestingly, the street shrub begins 3-4 years after planting it in the ground, since this garden decoration grows rather slowly.
There is one more nuance regarding the peculiarities of hibiscus flowering: its buds bloom literally one day. During this period of time, he manages to open up, and in the evening falls off. The next day, a fresh bud takes its place. If the cultivation and care of the shrub is ensured correctly so that it blooms already in early June, then the flowering phase will come to an end no earlier than September.
As a rule, flower growers prefer bush hibiscus if they want to decorate their site with a lush flowering plant. And all because this plant reaches a height of about 3 m, and a width of 1.5 m. To achieve such parameters, it is necessary to master the basic points for caring for a flower, to study the pruning technology. Implementing it correctly, you can make your garden bush much more branched and lush, as well as stimulate its growth.
Species and varieties
Breeding hibiscus is not too burdensome. With proper care, the shrub will decorate even a shady area in the garden. However, you need to choose based on the climatic features in your area. If we are talking about a temperate climate (for example, in Belarus), it is best to give preference to the following types of trees:
- trifoliate;
- Syrian;
- marsh;
- herbaceous;
- garden.
Interestingly, beginners can confuse the shrub with another variety - garden. That is why the first instance is often called a tree. Its flowers are simple or double. Initially, their shade was either white or purple, but now there are much more varieties of tree-like hibiscus, and the palette of shades has replenished with pink, red and blue.
What is good about swamp hibiscus is its frost resistance. In open ground, it can be planted safely, because it tolerates temperatures down to -30 ° C. Among the types of hibiscus, there is also a herbaceous plant. Its flowers are quite large, and the bush reaches a height of about 3 m. This category includes many hybrid hibiscus (at least 1 thousand varieties were bred by breeders). As for the trifoliate species, it is classified as a medicinal annual plant. Its flowers are light yellow, and they open only in the morning for several hours.
The optimal environment for this plant is a well-lit and wind-protected area with easy fertile soil that lets moisture through. The characteristics of the soil should be similar to the substrate in which you usually plant roses. garden plant recommended to plant in the spring. Wait for the end of the night frosts and then boldly plant the hibiscus. In this case, by the onset of autumn, the shrub will get stronger and will be completely ready for the upcoming wintering.
In order for landing and care to be carried out correctly, try to follow all the recommendations of specialists. For example, if you decide to plant a tree plant on the site, the hole dug for the seedling should be twice as large as the rhizome of the flower.
Make sure you have drainage. To do this, you can take a broken brick. Then add a small layer of sand, compost and sand again (each layer should be about 10-15 cm thick). The very same land is recommended to be mixed with peat and sand. In this composition, you will plant hibiscus. At the end of the planting, be sure to spud the plant: it will need to be watered often and plentifully, and this procedure will allow water to go directly under the root of the flower.
It is not difficult to plant a garden hibiscus and ensure cultivation according to the basic recommendations. And in return you get a beautiful flowering plant that will certainly decorate any corner.
Cultivation and care
In the summer, when the temperature is quite high and the soil dries out too quickly, you can water the hibiscus daily. Spraying is a good option for a garden specimen. Its leaves must be cleaned of dust. Thus, the flower will be saturated with sufficient moisture, and you will prevent the invasion of the spider mite.
pruning
It is possible to carry out full-fledged care and reproduction for garden hibiscus without much difficulty. It is also very important to be able to carry out competent pruning of hibiscus. Since flower buds appear only on young shoots, shaping pruning is recommended annually. It is advisable to start pruning as early as February, when the sap flow process has not yet begun.
When the shrub grows well, do not forget to take up rejuvenating pruning at least once every three years - remove old and dry branches., You can replant the bush. It is advisable to start this procedure in early spring, when the flower is still dormant. The technology of transplantation is no different from the process of planting young seedlings.
reproduction
Propagation of garden hibiscus is carried out both by cuttings and seeds. Knowing how a herbaceous shrub reproduces, you can grow several of these specimens on the site. It is best to propagate hibiscus by cuttings - using this method, you will quickly get a rooted plant. Seedlings obtained after cuttings are rooted in the ground or in water. In general, hibiscus reproduces without the use of complex agricultural techniques.
Disease and pest control
To preserve a herbaceous plant for many years, you need to know how to feed it in spring and winter, as well as how to prevent pest invasion. Most often, hibiscus is threatened by a spider mite. You can get rid of it by treating the flower with special preparations, the main thing is to notice the first signs in time (yellow dots on the leaves and cobwebs).
As for common ailments, these primarily include chlorosis. It manifests itself due to a lack of fertilizers, especially iron. That is why do not neglect feeding a herbaceous plant. Shrubs should also be fed in order to avoid the occurrence of fungal diseases. Let the flowering of the grown hibiscus be bright and long-lasting.
Video "Garden Hibiscus Care"
From this video you will learn how to properly care for garden hibiscus.
Hibiscus is a tree, shrub or herbaceous plant from the Malvaceae family. There are about 200 of its varieties, and therefore the cultivation of garden hibiscus is a very exciting activity for flower growers around the world. One of the species (Sudanese rose) is used to make Hibiscus tea. Okra, okra - edible hibiscus, its cultivation is possible in the garden or on the balcony. A popular indoor flower - - grows in open ground in countries with a warm climate. In our latitudes, it is suitable only for container gardening: flowers are taken outside in the summer and brought back when it gets colder. At home, hibiscus tree, or Syrian, is also grown - a deciduous shrub that has a pronounced dormant period and requires certain conditions wintering.
Garden types of hibiscus
Growing garden hibiscus on the site and caring for it is not a hassle, this plant allows you to decorate a shady corner with large, bright colors. Breeders have bred several varieties that can be planted in central Russia, but they require winter shelter or digging out of the ground. There are frost-resistant species, but they are rarely found on sale.
For regions with temperate climate suitable hibiscus:
- trifoliate,
- Syrian,
- marsh,
- grassy,
- garden.
Syrian and garden hibiscus are often confused, because for the first there is another name - tree-like. In southern countries, he received the nickname - "flower of love." Usually it is a shrub about 1.5-2 meters in height, completely covered with large simple or double flowers, similar to mallow. The classic colors are white and lilac, but now others have also been bred: pink, red, blue. Swamp hibiscus, or okra, okra, is very ornamental shrub with large flowers, usually pink or red. It is frost-resistant, tolerates temperatures down to -30 ° C.
Herbaceous hibiscus grows up to 3 meters in height - it is a frost-resistant shrub that blooms from August to September. Its stems are massive, erect, with large leaves resembling sunflower leaves. Flowers can be white, light pink or red. Growing and caring for it is very simple. The plant is sun-loving, undemanding to the composition of the soil, therefore it is popular among flower growers. For the winter, it is cut off at the root, and in the spring it grows back. There are more than 1000 hybrids of herbaceous hibiscus. annual plant with small light yellow flowers that open in the morning for several hours.
Garden hibiscus is a hybrid herbaceous perennial, resulting from the crossing of 3 species: red, pink and holly. Differs in decorative foliage and large showy flowers, the size of which can reach 40 cm. Care is simple. 
There are several hybrids.
- Youth is a plant with light green leaves and purple flowers resembling a tulip shape.
- Late - shrub with oval leaves and crimson bell-shaped flowers, grows up to 1 m.
- Pale pink - a plant up to 2 meters high, yellowish foliage, bright pink flowers, tulip-shaped.
- Pink porcelain- a medium-sized bush up to 1.5 m high, flowers are large, pink, with a white throat, in the form of bells. Bright green succulent leaves on long petioles.
Hibiscus for container gardening
The following species are used as tub culture on the site.
- Dissected hibiscus (Schizopetalus)- the petals of the flowers of this species are strongly dissected and bent back. Outwardly, it resembles a domesticated Chinese. Flowering lasts from spring to autumn.
- Chinese hibiscus- Shrub with flowers of various sizes and shades. Growing as a houseplant is common, but for the summer it can be taken out into the garden. Caring for a tubular flower consists in abundant watering and top dressing.
Growing these plants is not difficult, but there are some rules that must be followed in order for hibiscus to grow healthy and strong.
Garden Hibiscus Care
Landing is carried out on a site with nutritious and breathable soil, in a place protected from winds and bright sun. Shrubs are planted in the spring, then by autumn the young plants will have time to take root. Growing garden hibiscus outdoors will require a deep landing pit, which must be filled with a thick layer of drainage - at least 15 cm - with sand and rotted compost. This mixture is laid out garden soil mixed with sand and peat.
Plants are placed in a hole so that the root collar is level with the soil, it is not necessary to deepen it - this can lead to decay. Then sprinkled with soil and watered abundantly. Planting and care before the winter period should be accompanied by soil mulching. Additionally, it is better to insulate the seedlings with spruce branches.
Further care for garden hibiscus consists in abundant watering, regular loosening of the soil, pruning and top dressing. It is necessary to water the shrub as the soil dries out with warm, settled water; on hot days, more liquid will be required. Some types of hibiscus with a lack of moisture lower their leaves. It is advisable to feed the shrub in the spring-summer period once every 2 weeks with a phosphorus-containing fertilizer.
Loosening the soil improves aeration, allows the root system to breathe. Prune garden and tree hibiscus better in spring or at the beginning of summer - this favorably affects flowering, facilitates care and helps to give the tree a beautiful shape. It is important to properly prepare young trees for the dormant period: before the onset of frost, the garden hibiscus is cut and watered abundantly, after which the soil around is mulched using dry foliage and. Young plants are wrapped or bent to the ground. For shelter, a frame and a special material, such as agrotex, are used.
pruning hibiscus
Spring plant care consists in pruning branches. This necessary procedure for both indoor and garden views. It is produced after a dormant period, when the bush has not yet had time to start growing. Proper shortening of the shoots has a positive effect on flowering, improves branching and appearance shrub.
In some species, flower buds are laid only at the ends of new shoots, therefore, without pruning, the plant may stop blooming. Tree and garden hibiscus is well formed, you can give it any shape, for example, turning it into a standard tree. The cuttings obtained during pruning are used for plant propagation.
You should not get rid of the hibiscus rhizome in early spring - these plants wake up late, and it is better to wait a while than to uproot a still living bush.
Propagation of hibiscus cuttings
Garden and tree hibiscus reproduces very simply: by seeds, cuttings, grafting. Cuttings begin in the summer, before flowering. To do this, shoots with several internodes are cut from the bush, the ends are powdered with a root formation stimulator and planted in a greenhouse with peat soil. Rooting lasts about a month, when the shoots start to grow, they are transplanted into pots with a nutrient substrate and grown there until a bush is formed. After that, it is possible to plant plants in open ground.
Young plants do not have the frost resistance of adults, so they need to be covered for the winter or dug up, transplanted into pots and stored until spring in the cellar or in the dark on a glazed balcony.
The water method is also suitable for grafting, but when using it, most of the leaves are removed from the shoot, leaving 3-4, large ones are cut by a third to reduce evaporation. An activated charcoal tablet is added to the water to prevent decay. Hibiscus cuttings usually propagate successfully.
How to propagate hibiscus seeds
Growing from seed is the easiest way to propagate these plants. Garden hibiscus, obtained in this way, blooms in the year of planting, and Syrian - only in the third year. It is better to start sowing in winter period, from the end of January. Seeds need fresh, they do not need stratification. Planting is carried out in a mixture of peat and sand, before it, the seed must be soaked in a growth stimulator for a day.
Crops are watered and covered with a bag or placed in a greenhouse, placing it in a bright and warm place where the temperature is not lower than +25 ° C. Before the appearance of friendly shoots, care for seedlings consists in regular airing and spraying. Outdoor cultivation starts from the end of May, when the danger of frost has passed. Plants are planted in a permanent place, protected from drafts and the scorching sun.
Diseases and pests
Spider mites are considered the main pests of hibiscus. They multiply rapidly in hot and dry conditions, covering the bush with white cobwebs. Yellow dots appear on the leaves, the buds do not open, but dry up and fall off. In case of severe damage, the plants must be treated with special preparations. There are also folk recipes getting rid of this pest: spraying with infusion of garlic, solution essential oils(10 drops per 1 liter of water) and others. Bushes are sometimes affected by aphids. It's pretty large insects visible to the naked eye. When they appear, insecticides are used.
Hibiscus can suffer from chlorosis, while the leaf plate turns yellow, only the central veins remain green. The disease most often occurs due to a lack of nutrients, especially iron. It is necessary to add additional organo-mineral fertilizers to the soil and spray iron chelate over the leaf. Lack of nutrition is also indicated by such signs as the lack of flowering, frequent yellowing and falling of leaves, and poor development of shoots. If the care of the plant is incorrect, there may be fungal diseases caused by over watering or low water temperature.
So, hibiscus - can be trees, bushes or herbs. They prefer a sunny location, abundant watering and fertilizing with phosphorus fertilizers. In central Russia, some frost-resistant varieties can be grown in open ground, but most species require shelter for the winter with special material or spruce branches.
Perennial shrubs such as garden and tree hibiscus (Syrian) shed their foliage for the winter, but herbaceous species rarely retain the above-ground part, growing anew from the rhizome every spring. The main diseases are associated with care errors and malnutrition. Of the pests, mites and aphids are often affected. Plants are well propagated by seeds and cuttings.
