Here is a pic of my nine-bud Hibiscus in West Michigan Zone 5b. I planted this about 2-3 months ago (along w/2 other Hibiscus) and the buds are there but being shy to bloom. Is it a late bloomer b/c it's young plant? Should I fertilize? More h20? Less h20? Or simply be patient?
That's it, "simply be patient". You are going to have quite a show. This looks like a red one by the look of its leaves and stems, please post pics.
I have 25 new plants this year, some I am growing for my daughters new yard. They all have buds on, one is giving me quite a show for one planted from seed this spring, some are just starting, hope to get flowers before frost. Marie
Thanks MyRee, you bet I'll post pics when they bloom. You are correct, the blooms will be red--Rose Mallow 'Fireball'
Wow-25 new plants-you must have plenty of room for them. I'm just thrilled with my little 3 ones.
No, I only have 1/3 acre. I have 13 in an area of 5' by 25' along with annuals until the plants can grow and take up the space. Even when they do get big I will plant some annuals for color until they bloom. I have the others in my little garden area, since I am going to move them I planted them only 12" apart. I am really enjoying seeing what color they bloom. Marie
I just wish I could find out how to prolong the bloom. I am going to prune about 1/2 of the bush next year and see if that will give me some later blooms.
It's August 19 and my 'Fireball' Hibiscus FINALLY bloomed (one bloom). It measure 7.5 inches across and it's quite a site. There are 8 other buds ready to go on a relatively short/new plant...what's the chance the poor thing will topple over from all the weight of the flowers? Should I stake it? I don't hink I've ever seen Hibiscus plants staked. Photo attached.
That is such a pretty one. Don't think you'll need to stake, unless you get a lot of heavy rain, they seem to be able to hold their heads up well when loaded with blooms.
I was recently able to acquire a rooted cutting of "Fireball" I have 3 now, the first one being Texas Star, a Florida native and "Lord Baltimore"
Someone please correct me if I am wrong and help with my question.
I believe that the Native Mallow seeds will grow true to the plant. Will the seeds from "Fireball" and "Lord Baltimore" grow true to the parent or not?
Molly
:^)))
wow really pretty!!!
Here is one that opened today....more to come....a terrific plant.
My plants started about 10 days ago...and are just full of buds now....I love everything about it...the serrated leaves, the wine coloring in the leaves and the wine colored stems.....and especially the huge gorgeous blooms.
Michelle, are you sharing seeds after your blooms? Want to swap for some white Texas Star?
Hi Smockette-
I'd love to trade some seeds with you, however I wouldn't know a Rose Mallow Fireball SEED if it jumped on my head 50 times. ;-) A bit of newbie perennial gardener, can you tell?
I will take all advice in finding them, please do tell! Then I would be happy to trade seeds. Where do I look? When do I look? When is it safe to "take them?" How big are they? How long do I let them dry out before I mail them, etc. I live in West Michigan, zone 5b. So far each of my buds blooms for about a day then shrivels up..found one bud on the ground yesterday....are the seeds in there? I think ONE reason they may be shriveling is due to all the rain we've had over the past few days.
Michelle
Michelle,
I wish I had taken picture of my other mallow when it made seeds. But let's wing it and you'll be fine.
The picture below is the flower bud. It will bloom and will stay on for about a day then the bloom will close up and fall off when it's ready.
If pollinated successfully, another "bud" will appear in it's place in a few days. At this point it's referred to as a seed pod. This seed pod will turn brown and pop open on its own if you let it. But, before that happens, wait until the brown pod looks crispy and snap it off.
MollyMc-
WOW--Thanks for the advice--would not have guessed otherwise! I'm glad to hear the the flowers are SUPPOSED to shrivel up and fall off. I thought I was doing something wrong OR they were getting too much rain. Kind of a rip-off, to only get a day or 2 out of a bloom.
I will keep an eye on the one bloom that has fallen off and watch for it's replacement pod......any idea how long that will take, don't want to miss it OR let my rabbits, deer, birds, squirrels, or other creatures eat it.
This "pod process" sounds quite like the process for Day Lillys, right?
Thanks again for your help.
Michelle
There will be about 4 seams running from tip to tip on the pod. Over a plate, take you thumb nail and split open these seams. Inside each seam you will find a double "track" holding 2 lines of seeds.
After you have harvested the seeds, leave them in a cup or on the plate for a day or so to be sure they are dry, then they should be ready to store.
My Fireball is a rooted cutting and doing very well, but I am sure it will be a while before it is ready to bloom.
If my Texas Star or Lord Baltimore put out any seed pods within reach of my memory, I will try to post some pictures when the pods a brown and "crispy". Sorry, I can't seem to get a clear picture this morning.
Hope this helps.
MollyMc-
WOW--Thanks for the advice--would not have guessed otherwise! I'm glad to hear the the flowers are SUPPOSED to shrivel up and fall off. I thought I was doing something wrong OR they were getting to much rain. Kind of a rip-off, to only get a day or 2 out of a bloom.
I will keep an eye on the one bloom that has fallen off and watch for it's replacement pod......any idea how long that will take, don't want to miss it OR let my rabbits, deer, birds, squirrels, or other creatures eat it.
This "pod process"sounds quite like the process for Day Lillys, right?
Thanks again for your help.
Michelle
MollyMc-
The picture is very helpful, thank you. Quite tiny seeds and kind of remind me of Allium seeds. After they dry out for a few days, can I mail them for trade then OR do I need to "store" them for the season and THEN mail them....remember, I'm a newbie.
Michelle
Michelle,
You are very welcome. I wish I could tell you how long between bloom and pod maturity, but this is my first year with mallows and when my Texas Star did this, I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention. But it seemed like it was blooming all over the place, then all of a sudden it had a bunch of brown "buds". At first I thought there was something wrong with the plant.......duh. Yep, this process is very similar to daylily seed pod growth.
As for deer and rabbits, I live on 5 acres out in the country on a dirt road. Except closer up to the house, I have left the land rough and "wild". We have deer and rabbits but they haven't seemed inclined to be eating on the hibiscus or the daylilies either for that matter.
But they ARE out there eating on my tomato plants!!!!!
The last seed pod that grew on my Texas Star, I popped it off the plant, split it open and let the seeds fall out on the ground around the mother plant. They have already germinated, and this was a couple weeks back.
Molly
:^))))
Actually Michelle, I would say they are just a hair smaller than a daylily seed. (I haven't a clue as to the size of an allium seed) And yes, based on the germination info in my last post, you can send them out for trade very soon.
I am not sure how long hibiscus seeds will store before they are no longer viable. Maybe someone will see this question and respond. I have some other hibiscus seeds I received in trade so this would be info I could use as well.
I am also still hoping to hear if the Fireball seed will grow true to the parent plant, or pick up genes from the past or if the seeds will be sterile or not. ANYONE KNOW?
Molly
:^))))
OK, just took a peek at my Fireball and one of the "soon to be pods" was knocked off the plant. Any suggestion on how to avoid this? Likely an animal, heavy rain, whatever? Here is a photo.
Michelle
Michelle,
It might just be that it was never pollinated. Let's wait for someone to jump in here and add so knowledge.
When I get a chance later today, I'll look around for our DG Hibiscus Guru.
:^))))
Molly
Hi Molly,
I'm flattered (re: Kopper King on the other thread) that you thought I might be able to help, but I'm just a novice with most hibiscus. I've just always had the Kopper King and that other pink mallow (name unknown) that threw out pods earlier and I gave away all the seeds.
The unknown name pink gave me lots of pods earlier in the season but I haven't seen one in, oh, about 4-6 weeks so maybe some of them produce pods early. Maybe has to do with heat, etc.?? Nt Kopper KIng hasn't given me podsthis year and I don't know about previous years as I really wasn't into the seeds and gardening as much. I wouldn't be surprised if you could start seeds in the beginning of the season and see flowers in the same season, but I don't know for sure.
I just took a couple of cuttings from the Kopper King and they seem to have started rooting.
Wish I could help or point you in the right direction.
Barbara
I know how to get the seeds but now I have a question. Any particular way to take cuttings? Fr an end that bloomed or another one?
I have white & red Texas Star that I will share so send me your addys. I got the red ones fr a friend but both are dry enough to ship. I also planted some of the red ones this wkend just to see if they would grow for me. Think I may plant some white TS & see who grows first! lol
I am reviving this thread to see if there are any new news on these plants and to try again to get an answer about Lord Baltimore and Fireball seeds.
Will the seeds grow true to the parent plant? I know Texas Star does.
Smockette, I can't understand why I didn't beg you for some white Texas Star. I have some seeds here in a home baggie that are named as White Hibiscus and wonder if those might be the same.
My Lord Baltimore has put off maybe a dozen blooms in the past couple months and just now I found that it had made one seed pod so am wondering if it will grow as the parent plant.
Molly
:^)))
Named cultivars like Lord Baltimore and Fireball most likely won't come true from seed, although some of the babies may look similar to the parent. As I always say, you never know until you try! Texas Star is a common name not a cultivar name, so it will come true from seed (unless maybe you had red and white TX stars next to each other and they cross pollinated)
Thanks Ecrane. Still worth trying to grow some from seed. Any of these will look beautiful.
Molly
:^)))
Im glad it was this was brought back cuz it gives me the opportunity to ask, what if my blooms dont produce any seed pods. Im assuming that means it wasnt fertilized? How can I get them to be fertilized? I get a good amount different butterflys, birds, and other possible fertilizers but why are mine not producing seed buds?
I think you mean pollinated, not fertilized :-) A lot depends also on what plant you have--some set seed easier than others. Sometimes hybrids especially tend not to set seed very readily.
By the sound of your assessment Im not getting any seeds, huh? Darn!!!!!!
If your plant is still blooming, or if the blooms just recently fell off, then it's too early to tell.
This thread has pictures of the seeds on a hardy hibiscus. It is the second post.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/758912/
Hope it helps.
I've had Lord Baltimore for several years until this year. Never one seed from it. There are numerous other perennial hibiscus out there and nothing seems to cross with it. I also have Fireball and Plum Crazy and have never had seeds on them. There is one other one that has the same kind of foliage that also doesn't make seed. The older varieties still pump out seeds like crazy.
