Hardy Hibiscuses for my zone and colder??

Hi all Hibiscus lovers.
Since I joined Dave´s I have discovered that there is Hibiscuses that actually can survive winters. Here I been living for 40+ years and thought all of them where tropicals and during the years I have had "some".:0))
I have also discovered that the info on wich ones that actually ARE hardy is scares or non existence and there is a lot of us living in colder climats that want to know..
So PLEASE tell me and others wich ones YOU, yourselfs have grown where the ground freezes OR got it from someone that have even colder zone then you and it still comes back the next summer looking gorgeous.
OH and dont forget to add the zone hardiness to the PF, there is a LOT of info regarding this missing there.
Janett

Janett, I live in Utah, zone 5. I have 11 hardy hibiscus, they are beautiful. They send up more shoots and become more impressive every year. I just ordered 39 1 year plants from cottagefarmsdirect.com and am very hopeful they will be good plants. I just found this site and am very impressed by their information. If you go to this site and press on Planting Guides at the top of the homepage it will take you to the info you need. If you scroll down you will find plant information, scroll down to hibiscus and click, it had really good information, I learned about pruning which I have been looking for. I also started 14 from seed this year. Can you tell I am hooked?
These pics are of some of my 3rd year plants last year. Daughter and grandchildren are a plus :).
Marie

This one is about the last one of the season last year with my cute grandson.

MyRee, they are gorgeous. Kids too:0)) One can hardly belive the size of the flowers
I cant take in plants to Sweden, just seeds :(
I have a few tiny seedlings of some Syriacus and Abelmoschous growing indoors.Also have Coccinus Red Texas Star. Its been growing in zone 6a
Hooked? rotflol that I was some 20+ years ago when I was growing 60+ tropical ones in a two-bedroom apartment now I am more of CRAZY in love and on the lookout for the hardy one (bigger flowers) more addicitive :0))
Janett

Hi doll! How'd I miss this? Oh yea, I've been brain fried lately. LOL I have a bunch of seeds if you want them. :) Do I need to hide them in a rattle or something? ROTFLOL

Waving at Badseed :))
I love to have them...............You dont have to hide them, but the rattel sounds fun. hey....... maraccas. You dont even have to make seed declaration just the latin names on the seed pack If they open and check.

Oh you havent heard, we got a new room mate :0)) He flew in Thursday afternoon and landed on my head and refuses to leave..............Oh I got him off my head........ he just want to stay. So we have built a big birdcage on the porch so Tayson wont get him. Tonight he got "permission" to sleep in Hannas room and he was absolutly nuts with joy. He started to cocoing like crazy and danced on top of Hannas head, THAT was hilarious.
Janett

I don't mean to sound like a real dummy. Is that a dove? Or what is it?

It is really a pretty bird, and sounds like a pretty friendly bird.

Linda

Yupp its a dove and oh so friendly, he actually loves to be huggd like a baby. He doesnt have quite the "normal" colouration for our wild birds and he is a tiny bit darker then the pic shows. He also have a white ring around he eyes that I never seen on the wild ones, checked all the doves in town just to make sure........nuts! me! nae just crazy :0))
Janett

Sounds like he may have been someones pet, if he is that friendly. But he is pretty.

Linda

He has absolutely been raised by humans, no doubt in my mind. I think "someone" got scared by all the birds getting avian flue around here and trew him out. people even got rid of their cats that never ever seen a lawn in real life before just by the same reason. Sad to say the least.
Janett

Janett, I still have some seed for this Disco Bell. A compact 30 inch plant with big white/pink flowers. They are hardy here in zone 6 with average low temp about -5 F.
I mulch them after a freeze with about 4 inches of leaves.
They should bloom the first season.
If it's legal to send them, DM me.
Andy P

Janett, Good luck with your new adventure of hardy hibiscus. I have found many 'CRAZED' people on Daves Garden, (me being one) whatever plants they like - they really like. I am going to try to save seeds this fall, who knows what will come from them as I have several colors.
(I have never seen the name Tayson before. My daughter had a baby boy 12 days ago and named him Tayson, she had never heard the name before, thought she made it up).
You will have to post your hibiscus pics for us to see. I plan on taking many many of my garden. Marie

Andy, I would love to have them. D-mail comming

Marie, Congratulation to the new grandson........Beautiful name........Tayson is my BIG dog. I got him from a dogshelter on Lanzarote (Canary Islands) via internet. Before I got him I too never seen this spelling but have since discovered that in spain they often use this spelling. Tayson is around 9-10 years old
Here is a pic of 220 lb Tayson and my son Christer all snuggled up.Christer weighs about 300 or more :))
Janett

Janette, We had a good laugh about Tayson. Our baby is only 7# - and growing. So cute. I have a son that is 6'7" and >250#. I guess we grow them big. Marie

My baby is 6'4" and is 250#. His older brother is close to the same except only 6'2".

Don't we love our big babies?

Oh yes, we absolutly do. I think Christer is only 6 high, but even when he was thin he weighed tons.
when he was 7 he was as big as the rest of his classmates but weighed 22 lb more. I think he has a skeleton made of concrete or led :0))
And Tayson.......he´s like a pitbull in St:Bernard size, plus some...........
Janett

Yes we do, and I know they are putting additives in the water to make kids bigger and better.

Linda

I can't resist posting a pic of him:

Oh, back to hibiscus, mine are growing like mad. I have some still just showing shoots and some >12" and very full. I can't wait 'til the end of July when they are in full bloom.
I am going to have my veg garden ready to plant by Monday. I am planting at least 2 rows of hibiscus and 2 rows of butterfly bushes - to put in their permanent places later in the year. (Oh no! Where am I going to put my tomatoes)?----- Well, I can buy tomatoes at the farmers market.
Not really, I am planting >24 tomato plants, corn, beans, cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe, peppers... - and I don't have a very big garden space.
Well, good luck on all your plans/plants. Marie

MyRee, If you plan on keeping the seedlings there for only 1 growing season you can plant then very close in double or triple rows. Like 10 inches apart. They will be easy to lift next Spring.
Best time to move them will be in very early Spring while they are still dormant.
Andy P

Thanks Andy, My daughters home should be built by early winter, I am going to put many in her yard. I can't wait to landscape. She has quite a slope, I plan on beautiful rock gardens. I was thinking they could be planted quite close for now, they will like getting in the garden, I think they are tired of the greenhouse.
Marie L

Handsome guy there.
I planted beeftomatoes and yellow peartomatoe seedling out yesterday. If we are getting to have ironnights (frost) I have windowsheets to cover them.

I cant imagine but hoping I will get flowers on the hibiscuses this sommer.
Oh , I am buying cowmanure for some other plants. Should I plant the hibiscuses with it too when they go out in the garden. Are hardy hibiscuses "heavy" eater or do I risk of burning the roots.
Janett

Janett, their natural setting is along streams in sunny clearings.
Use only WELL rotted manure, compost etc. they are average feeders but heavy drinkers.
Andy P

Thanks Andy, the manure I had in mind is well rotted, I comes in plastic bags and is sold by a farmsupplier. you know the kind of supplier that even sells food for the farm animals :0))
Dont have compost to plant with yet. just started a compost this spring so I have to waite to next spring to "harvest" that.
Janett

Janett, I have been busy, not on the computer much. My neighbor brought in manure today, he will till the garden Friday, then I can plant. I have not had a vegetable garden for quite a few years. I flood irrigated for the first time this year. My hibiscus have grown alot just since this morning. My clematis started blooming this afternoon. I will plant most of my greenhouse plants in the next few days. I am so excited. Marie

Hi Janett,
I have some "Lady Baltimore" seeds that I can send to you. I'll be travelling in Denmark in July so if it's easier, customs-wise, I can mail them from Copenhagen. Just let me know. Here's a photo of my hibiscus. It's hardy in z6a, where I am.
LoraB.

Sorry that I didnt answere yesterday, my imternet/modem went to Disney:((
LoraB, its just as easy to send from US, our customs dont demand phyto or declaration on seeds just the latin name on the seedpack (not envelope) if they open and check
The only seeds you need phyto and declaration and permitte for is Prunus, grasses and veggieseeds and the spieces on the CITES list (UN:s Endangered spieces list)
Now why dont I live on the weast coast would only have taken around 1 1/2 hour to meet up with you. Hope you have lot of fun in Denmark

MyRee. look what I made for all my seedling so they are safe from our iron nights that usually occur May-Jun. Its 11 ft long and 3 ft wide. For now I just laid the glas on top. will cut them later and make frames for them so the are easier to have standing open on really hot days.
I also got 250 cubic ft of top quality soil. its so good that I dont even have to furtilise/mulch it this summer.
The neighboring gas station have spilled out petrol and diesel for years and two other companies(local) have been making the cleanup after them.
The guy in charge of the restorating landscaping that I made friends with told me that this was the best soil he ever worked with during all the years, so I directly ordered as much as I at this time could afford and he made sure that I got the same soil.
The best part! The guy who owns the truck company and deliver the soil had so much to do (worked 12 hours a day) that I had to waite almost two weeks for him to deliver so I got a big discount. It should have cost 2000 Skr but I got it for 1200 Skr thats about 150 $ incl. delivery :0))
I am having so much fun with making flowerbeds and planting with all this soil and this frontyard have only been used as a graveld parking space.
This is the old wobblly walkway and the coldframe and a shallow flowerbed and a pice of the "to be" patio. Moved all the slabs out to the sun and also a tiny bit of one of the soilmounts I have.
Janett

The hibiscus should be happy in that until planted. I would like to make one similar to that and leave it up most of the year - fall through spring. I am envious of your soil, It looks wonderful. Your plants are going to love it.

I flood irrigate, I got the first water turn Wednesday, the grandkids love playing in it. Pictures coming of the last few days in the garden.

I am so excited. I ordered Lord Baltimore and Crimson Wonder, LB is small but showing good growth, CW is just showing her shoots today but at least 5 are coming up, I can't wait to see the blooms. I thought I had Lady Baltimore, but can't find it in all the pots so far.

Well, here comes - to many pics I am sure, but I have to share.
Marie

Grandkids in the water, The Box Eldre trees have shed their seeds. It is horrible, they go everywhere and grow where they drop. I really hate them!. The shade is nice though. Can't you make something good out of almost everything?

And another:

I put this umbrella up the day before irrigation, Close it at night and found a surprise the next day when I opened it up. It stayed all day. I closed it at night and the next morning it was gone.

There are so many views of the garden. Just a couple more.

The above pic was looking east on the north side of my garden.
This pic is at the very east of my garden by the irrigation stream that runs from the end of April to September. I love it. It is almost like having a fountain. The plant is a water iris and lines much of the canal. I am going to plant more iris today along the waterline. I hope they do well.
Thanks for indulging me and my pics. Marie

Wow the kids are having way fun there.hehe If I where a kid I would too. Atleast I probebly would walk around barefeet in the water.
Where do you get all that water from, do you have a lake or something higher up? Would love to have that small creek permanently in my garden.
It will take a"while" before my frontyard is covered with that much growt, because this is what I started from. The thin "branches" for trees is useless cherry trees that I cut down to the left of the house.
Janett
Edit to say the picture is from mid April

This message was edited May 19, 2006 9:23 PM

This picture is from May 17 when I got a tiny portion of the soil so I atleast had something to do :0))
Didnt have all my potted outdoor plants out there, it was to cold this day.
Janett

Today it rained buckets of water and when you have plants that "need" to go in the ground.......well take the big umbrella :0))
Janett

Janett, We have irrigation water from a reservoir above us. I have irrigation for 2 hours on Wednesday morning and Saturday evening. I planned my yard so I would start at the SE corner of the yard, it flows throughout my whole back yard and down the north side to the front. I have to sprinkle a portion of the front yard.
I love irrigation, I grew up on a farm, Dad taught that all water flows downhill :).
I love your house, what potential. You have come a long way in such a short time. It has taken 3 years to get my backyard looking good. I have to do much more, but it is coming along.
My irrigation: