Tropical Hibiscus in Zone 9

Hello All.

This is my first year gardening in North Central Florida. I bought some grafted tropical hibiscus and I'd like to plant them in the ground, but am wondering if they could survive the winter here if I cut them back and mulch them. Or, should I leave them in pots to bring indoors if I want to overwinter them?

Thank you -- I just joined this site and I am amazed by all the wisdom and friendliness I've found here!

Hi,
I live in zone 9b (Orlando area) and have several hibiscus around the yard. I thought I lost them all in a freeze a few months back but there is new growth coming in now. I think hibiscus overall are very hardy. I know Gainesville can get pretty cold, so hopefully someone closer to your area can give you their input but I've had few problems with mine.

Good luck!
Kim

Thanks, Kim!

I live in Jacksonville which gets almost as cold as Gainesville. Your Hibiscus will freeze to the ground most winters, but usually come back in the spring. I say usually because
we have had some rare very cold winters that have killed mine completely. In this case only one died. The others came back. Good luck!

Thank you, kimginter! I'm planning to plant mine in the ground this week -- and hopefully tonight is the last of the freeze warnings for my area!

I grew hibiscus in pots when I lived right on the NC/SC coastal border and would bring them into the garage during the winter. One winter I left one outside on the patio and I couldn't believe that it came back the following summer! I moved it (to the FL Panhandle on the coast) and left it outside. The poor thing was so root bound that I had to flush it over and over with water to get it out of the pot. I washed off all the old soil and planted it in the ground last week and I could almost immediately see it smile at me! She looks great and I think will grow better than ever. So all mine now will go in the ground since I'm in a warmer climate. If mine made it in a pot on the patio in SC, then yours will be fine. They may die back, but will certainyl come back.

With a grafted Hibiscus, you'll have to protect it above the graft or you'll lose the named variety and you'll be left with the root stock only. I would recommend to mulch heavily in the fall to try to protect the graft union,otherwise it won't be the same bloom next year...

Thanks, B Dunn, and Dave 67!

Some of the hibiscus I planted are, indeed, grafted. At least they appear to be. Mulching above the graft is something I wouldn't have thought of.

What's the purpose of the grafting? Is the root stock stronger?

Thanks again!

there is a variety of hibiscus called 'moscheutos' (sp?) which gets huge flowers. It must be cut back every fall, but it won't freeze. I understand though the lure of the tropical hibiscus. Just fyi.

Gosh I live in zone 9B and didn't even get a frost this winter and I lost some of my fancy hibiscus. Mine would never make it if there was snow. I wonder why yours all do.