CLOSED: I'm about to trim my favorite one so if you are good at rooting cuttings or interested in trying some let me know, I'd be happy to share. Besides any suggestion about the cultivar will be appreciated.
This message was edited Apr 8, 2010 12:03 PM
Beautiful bloom carpathiangirl, they even look better in person. I sent you a D-mail yesterday night, I had this one but it died do to all the none stop rain we had last year, tried to save it but in the end it failed to respond and to make thing worse none of the cutting I planted survived nether.
Wilfred
Totally agree, this one looks like sunshine in a pot, so bright and cheerful. And proved to be a survivor: once nearly died due to the hard freeze but sprouted the new growth 7 months later, and also was almost all eaten by the hungry rabbits. Now it's well protected and almost 5 feet tall, I started thinking about looking for the rabbits again lol
Hi, I'm a newbie to tropical hibiscus and would like to try rooting some cuttings. Sending you a d-mail.
Deborah
I just went and read the sticky thread on how to root Hibs. Sounds as easy as rooting anything else so I'd love to give it a try if you have any cuttings left. If none are left that's ok...thanks for sharing. I'm sending you a d.mail.
Heather
Thanks everyone for the interest, all cuttings are gone but I could have some more later in the season, this one grows really well and I'll post the update. Happy gardening!
Looks like Rum Runner
Thanks for the suggestion JPlunket but the PlantFiles pics do look different to me, more pinkish and the leaves are roundish, mine are more pointy. The closest match I saw so far was Florida Sunset or Reggae Breeze...
Looks like the cultivar you have is "Joan" which is an old garden variety (meaning to hibiscus collectors that it will grow on it's own roots without being grafted to rootstock). I noticed that the date was early March. Cooler temperatures will intensify the colors of many hibiscus rosa-sinensis which may be why there is more red-orange in your pict than mine. It will also subdue the texture of the bloom making the petals flatter. I doubt, unless you special ordered it, that it is a grafted hybrid such as Rum Runner.
You may be right Stevesivek about the garden variety -- it's stems are getting thick very fast, the leaves are big and firm and I suspect that given some space it would form a small tree in a couple of seasons. I'm not a hib expert but the tropical cultivars look more delicate to me with thinner branches and smaller leaves. I got mine at local nursery with no tag. What is interesting about it -- shade is the best and if it gets direct sun the leaves droop, seems to be weird about the strong plant like this one. About the flowers -- they look always the same color and shape, outside in summer or inside the rest of the season. BTW it stopped blooming only in late January and February and now the new buds are coming after the good trimming. Tough one!
What is the diameter of the flower? Joan ranges from 5 to 6" across.
I posted this in another discussion but I'll post again FYI: Tropical hibiscus require a different fertilizer from other blooming plants. Do NOT feed them fertilizers like SuperBloom, Miracle Grow or any fertilizer with a high middle number. The N-P-K for hibiscus should contain near a 2:1:3 ratio such as 10-5-15 or 12-4-18. Where phosphorus (the middle number) gives many blooming plants what they need for good blooming it is barely utilized by hibiscus. With little uptake of phosphorus it will build up in the soil and eventually lock-up the root system. This is more noticeable in potted hibiscus. If it happens in a pot, leaching the soil or repotting with fresh soil will correct it. The key nutrient for hibiscus blooming is potassium (the last number). If you can't find a good hibiscus specific fertilizer some tomato fertilizers have the proper ratio.
Yes, the size of the flower would be around 5", these two hibs could be sisters or cousins lol. Thanks for the info on fertilizers, I was always looking for the higher middle number. How often do you fertilize yours?
The closest fertilizer to these recommendations I could find locally was Palm-tone, which states it's for use on palms, hibiscus and other tropical plants. Last year, I used MG on everything, but will be more careful and attentive to fertilizer needs this year. We'll see how the PT works out. Anyone use/try that brand before with success? Or any feedback on it?
Carpathiangirl -- I sent you a dmail, if you still have cuttings available ... I'd love to try them. Not sure what you'd like in trade, but I'm happy to send you a current inventory of what I have. Just let me know. That hib is a beauty for sure!
In the ground - once per month
In pots - twice per mont at half the rate each time
Give them a rest during winter
Unlike hibs in the ground, potted hibiscus must be watered more often. This causes the fertilizer to be washed away. Fertilizing twice a month at half rates keeps the fertilizer level from going through huge swings of highs and lows between each fertilization.
jlj, thanks for the reminder. Palm fertilizers have the perfect ratio for hibiscus.
