My $1 Hibiscus bushes...

I need some help caring for these. Lowe's had them for $1, down from $14.95, so I got 4 of them. (They had about 20 of them and I would have gotten more, but the truck was full of peat moss and I couldn't convince the kids to hold them in the back seat! LOL) The pots are worth more than $1, and I can't resist a challenge at such a low price. Rootbound doesn't even begin to describe the shape these poor things were in. I watered them as soon as we got them home, and they were bone dry 30 minutes later. I repotted them and they are doing beautifully now. You can see in the picture the two on the right that I repotted first had already perked up, the third from the right was freshly repotted so still droopy, and the one on the left was still in the Lowe's pot.

The Lowe's tag calls them Patio Performers - 10" hibiscus bush. They have no buds (not surprising considering the shape they were in), but all seem to be in great health now, as I repotted them last weekend. They even have some new growth on them. The tag also states that they need to be brought indoors if the temperature drops below 50 degrees (I don't know how to make that little degree sign on here). I know you can't positively ID them without seeing a bloom, but I sure could use some general information on how to care for them. Are these what are referred to as Tropical Hibiscus?

Thanks a bunch! Everyone here is so helpful, I just don't know how I ever got along without DG members! :o)

They look like tropicals. I put some of those out every year. A couple of years ago, I dug them up and potted them. They lived, but were pitiful - lost almost all the leaves but I think didn't get enough light where they were in the house. Of course, I didn't have a lot of choice on where to put them because of the size. The next year, I put them out and trimmed them back and they did fine. We didn't dig them last fall because we just didn't feel like messing with them. I have four this year, and hopefully will have a greenhouse in a couple of weeks to store them. Also, I think I saw somewhere that you can take cuttings to root for next year.
sharon

Thanks Sharon! I'm hoping for a greenhouse this year, too. If I don't get one, I'll take some cuttings, and try to nurse these through the winter. I've got a "bright" room, but no direct sunlight for them, not as big as they are. Even if I lose them, I'll have gained some experience and knowledge, but I'd sure hate for them to die.

Raingazer

Wow!! What a bargain!! You are right, the pots alone are would about $20 each!! hehehe WOW!! Hope for your sake they are hardy, not tropical so they will survive winter outside in the ground!! Congrats!!

Bonnie

If they have to be brought in when the temp is under 50, I'm bettin' they're not too hardy! I'll trim them back and bring them in if I have to, especially if I don't get to see them bloom. Two of them are leaning really badly, so they'll need trimming anyway. I did notice yesterday that they've got teeny tiny buds on them, so maybe we'll get to see what they are after all. Now if I can just keep them from falling off before they bloom, like my smaller hibiscus are doing, I'll be set... I've got some cuttings trying to root from them now, too, so hopefully either way I'll still have them next year.