tropical hibiscus from Lowes

I was there this past weekend, and had to buy this poor deformed hibiscus - you know how it is when they look at you so sad . . . .

Anyway, it's growing sideways, like it was knocked over for a long time before anyone noticed, and it grew like that. I'd like to get it growing in a more normal shape, but I'm afraid that if I prune off the variegated foliage, it might come back green.

I have no idea what cultivar this is, as it was only labeled 'Hibiscus Assorted'.

Any advice appreciated . . .

Cheri'

PS sorry for the lousy picture, the wind is blowing today.

HI Cheri:
You might try to set it in a
dark corner with the bent
over part away from the light
& the light might get it to
grow straght.
I wouldn't cut any off of it because it might not recover.
Jerry Rebel888

Thanx, Jerry. That's an idea that might work.

It's been in a semi sunny location since we brought it home, plus we soaked it good (it was bone dry ... the garden center at Lowe's ain't what it used to be). Now it is showing tiny new growth. I think there is hope for it.

Cheri'

Sundry,

You purchased as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis "cooperii". A tropical that will do well for you in full sun or part shade. You should really put it in the ground. It will be much happier out of that pot. All my tropicals, "cooperii" included, are in the ground here in zone 8. They freeze back in the winter but bounce right back once spring hits their leaves. Some of the specimen hibiscus I pull right out of the ground in November in order not to lose any of their growth to freezes. I then stick them in individual large pots for overwintering in the hot house. Once you get yours in the ground feed it some peters fertilizer and then you can shape it anyway you want. Take the cuttings and stick them in the soil at least two inches into the soil and about 12 inches away from this plant...all cuttings will root for you right now as it is prime growing weather for tropical hibiscus. When the cuttings are well rooted you can pull them up and pot them for trading or plant them in a nother part of the yard. Here's my cooperii in the front yard full sun. http://plantsdatabase.com/go/42378 If you want the leaves to stay the color as you have now you can plant it in morning sun or partial shade.

Your plant is very healthy, no need to worry. Its just needs some adjusting. One thing to remember about variegated hibiscus is that every variegated plant has a tendancy to revert to green. Cut off green growth as soon as you are sure it is not variegated. The green shoots will grow alot faster than the variegated and will eventually overtake your variegated plant if you don't cut off all the green. Good luck.

Thank you, flowerjunkie! I really do appreciate all that info.

I have a few other plain-jane tropical hibiscus and I keep them in large pots, which I move onto the patio in December, until March. This is the most protection that any plant gets at my house. I do this because I lost my 3 hibiscus plants about 15 years ago in a really bad winter. It snowed, and the snow stayed on the ground for days ... it was bad. Pipes froze, plants died ... *shudder* Since then, I'm a little afraid to put my hibiscus in the ground.

I do intend to pot it up to a much larger pot. The ones I have seem happy in their pots. I thought I'd give it a little time to adjust first. It was not a happy plant when I brought it home.

I had planned to put it with the others, in strong afternoon sun. Will the leaves get more variegated or less in strong sun?

Cheri'

Lowes has this listed as Hibiscus Sensation. It has a picture on the tag and everything. I want to put it in the Database, but I want to make sure thats what it is. I took this 2 hours ago.

Sundry, I have purchased lopsided plants like that and when I pot them up, I tilt the whole plant so that the roots might be on an angle, but the plant itself is standing fairly straight in the pot. Don't know if that will work for you. Pretty plant!

Monterrey,

You have a different plant! Its absolutely stunning! Are the leaves on your's variegated???? Hibiscus Cooperii has red flowers. Your's seems to be salmon or peach! Which is it? I must run over to Lowes if this is a new one? Please let me know.

LouisianaSweetPea,

You have a good point. It would work.

sundry,

I remember that freeze! We had the same problems here, we even lost pine trees. I always take cuttings in the fall and root them up for next spring trades. Should that ever happen again...I always have back ups. Lets hope it doesn't happen again. We southerners don't know how to act in freezing weather.

No, we do not ... sad to say. I hope that never happens again.
The year before that terrible winter, a friend convinced me that I should plant my hibiscus in the ground (along with a few other things) because it NEVER gets cold enough to harm them, here. LOL! I knew better, but I did it anyway, and BAM! Mother Nature reached out to smack me . . . I'm not going to tempt her again. Not this year, anyway.

Cheri'

The last time we had a "hard" freeze here (28 degrees F or below for four hours or more) was two years ago, and the only thing I lost was the hibiscus. Every last one. But then I didn't even bother to cover them. All are now container-grown.

LSP, I remember that, too. I didn't lose anything, because my few 'tender' plants were on the patio, protected from the north, near the dryer vent . . .

When we get those nasty freezes it's usually right before daybreak, which gives me time to throw a load of towels in the dryer. What a system! but it works (knocking on wood).

If I had to actually go out into the cold (and it's always rainy when it's cold) to protect the plants, they wouldn't make it. I'm such a cold-weather-wimp. :-(

Cheri'

Yep. That's what I have to do...go out in the cold rain...throw a blanket lined with plastic ( I sewed them together) over my variegated hibiscus, variegated oleander, variegated firespike, variegated crinums and clereodendrums...those are the only plants I cover. I usually get lots of lows in the teens...which makes it a pain when you get 3 or 4 beautiful weather days then a cold snap zaps everything in the yard. Winter is so ugly in my yard. You should have seen me two years ago trying to cover my white orchid tree...that was joke! Hope the neighbors weren't filming! It was taller than me standing on the top step of the ladder. I finally decided it was old enough now to fend for itself. It looks really ugly when it freezes back...oh well can't save everything.