I have numerous tropical hibiscus cuttings that I have rooted. To develop a plant with a nice shape, should I put multiple cuttings in the same pot? And for the varieties where I only have one cutting, at what point should I start shaping? I have one tropical hibiscus that was given to me that was never shaped and it is just a tall, skinny plant. It has great blooms but a terrible shape. I want my new plants to grow either as standards or as well shaped bushes. Nat
Tropical Hibiscus Cuttings
The directions on my potted plant, to be put in the ground outside: When they come up in late spring, let them grow to about 12", trim back to 8". Let them grow some more, cut that back to 8". This will make you a bushy plant, not tall and thin, with only one stem.
I do this every year, root the cuttings for plants to trade, or give away.
NATHALYN, go to the General Discussion Forum and look at Hibiscus Heartbreak. I got some very good advice, and Gardenwife gave me a website that was GREAT! Sorry I don't know how to do the "thready thingy"
Pati
Hibiscus - - are yours tropical or hardy hibiscus? Ususally, when talking about those that come up in late spring, it means hardy.
Pati, Thanks for the advice - - I had already checked out this site, but didn't find advice on what to do AFTER cuttings are rooted.
Then I will follow your thread with interest just in case mine actually root! (LOL)
Pati
Pati, I dipped my cuttings in a rooting compound and put them in damp vermiculite. I then put them in a plastic bag and created a minigreenhouse. About every 2 weeks, I would open the bag and remove any blooms that were trying to form and any yellowed or dropped leaves - then put it back in the bag. ONLY if the vermiculite was dry would I add water. I did keep the bags in a warm (but not hot)spot with bright (but not direct) light.
The cuttings remain green throughout the entire process - - so much so, I thought they were rooting before they had. Only when I saw roots coming out the bottom of the pot -- did I know for sure they were rooted.
If was probably about 12 weeks before the cuttings were rooted. I then removed the bag - - and in one batch, 100% rooted and in the other, only about 50%.
My mistake, I thought you were talking about shaping outside hardy ones. If you don't keep trimming them when they start to grow, they have one stem and grow about 5' tall.
I do trim my tropical hibs, as soon as they bloom, cut that stem if it is getting pretty long, then take cuttings. Sounds as if you know how to start cuttings. Sometimes mine seem to take forever to root.
Think Pat gave you a real good answer.
Hi, Nat
What colors are you starting? I just read an article in M. S. Living magazine about hibiscus. I had no idea there are so many different ones. My favorite was a tri colored one. Beautiful!
Teresa
I have several unnamed tropical ones - - solid red, solid yellow and a hot pink/yellow bicolor. Then I just received from Logees - Edna Bogart (a white and pink) and Fifth Dimension (a blue gray and orange). http://www.logees.com/store/
And I have started mixed color hardy hibiscus from seed this year. I don't expect to have blooms this year - - but it would be nice to have some that don't have to be overwintered in my garage jungle!
Is the hardy type the same as Rose Mallow?
Some people call the dinner plate type hibiscus, "Rose Mallow" - http://plantsdatabase.com/search.php?search_text=hardy+hibiscus
But there is also an annual hibiscus call "Rose Mallow" http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/35/35.7.html
The hardy ones that I am growing from seed are the "dinner plate" ones.