Why are these hibiscus different.

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
LAS14 Albany, ME(Zone 4b) Sep 09, 2017

Why does one of these hibiscus have really small leaves, and the other large? They are children of the same original hibiscus. One might be older than the other, I know longer know. But the original dates back over 20 years.

tia
las

Thumbnail by LAS14 Thumbnail by LAS14 Thumbnail by LAS14
Post #10322559
Quote
TomH3787 Raleigh, NC(Zone 7b) Sep 09, 2017

The "original" is likely very pot-bound which makes it difficult for the plant to absorb adequate nutrients. If you were to take cuttings from the older plant and grow them in a properly-sized pot with fresh soil they would almost certainly grow like the younger plant.

If you want to keep the older plant, I'd suggest waiting until spring, then get a larger pot and some fresh soil, and "root prune" before re-potting. (In this case, by "root pruning" I mean to cut away the outer roots that are encircling the pot along with part of the old soil... doing so will encourage new roots to grow which will in turn encourage the plant to grow.)

Also, kudos on keeping a tropical hibiscus healthy in Maine for so many years... that's no easy task.

Post #10322561
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener Threads

Go to all Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener threads
BACK TO TOP