Hibiscus: This was too die for, a must must must have., 0 by Michael_Ronayne

Michael_Ronayne wrote:
Alma’s Star arrived on Thursday October 15, 2009 just in time for the earliest snowfall in the recorded weather history of New Jersey. The Hibiscus mutabilis was well packed and the 3.5 inch square pot was secured within the shipping container and covered in plastic. The Hibiscus was 11 inches in height above the dirt but the leaves were a little wilted because of the cold weather. Southern Growers had suggested that I wait until spring to ship but I though I had a few extra weeks and insisted that they deliver in October which is usually safe in my section of New Jersey but not this year. Over the next week the two bottom leaves turned brown and fell off but the other leaves picked up and Alma’s Start is now doing well after 10 days in New Jersey. I have Alma’s Star in a southern facing window with my other two Hibiscus mutabilis double-flowers and am looking forward to the spring.

Unless I can find someone else in my locality who also has Hibiscus mutabilis I am going to have to conduct some controlled tests over the next few years to see just well how well Hibiscus mutabilis can survive a New Jersey winter, which if the lack of sunspots continues is going to become “interesting” in the coming years. From the descriptions I have read it is incredibly easy to root Hibiscus mutabilis so I may grow a few clones to see what I can get away with during the winter. With any luck, look for pictures next summer which is why I wanted to overwinter the Hibiscus in my home.

According to some papers I have read, Hibiscus mutabilis will hybridize with Hibiscus moscheutos but the hybrids are sterile because of chromosome mismatches. Fertility can be restored through chromosome doubling but it is not easy for a private citizen to gain access to the chemicals which work for Hibiscus. There are easily available agricultural chemicals which do work for some plant species but they are not effective for Hibiscus. If anyone has done chromosome doubling in Hibiscus, please send me a PM.

Mike
p.s. The attached photographs are pictures of the arrival and transplanting of my Alma’s Star in a larger pot for the winter.

This message was edited Oct 25, 2009 1:56 PM