Help with Hibiscus new addiction

I went on a trip this summer to Niagra on the Lake beautiful area if you ever get a chance to visit I would highly recommend it. Anyway while there I stopped to chat with the most wonderful lady who was out tending her flower garden. We had a bit of a communication problem she had a beautiful Hungarian accent and I spoke way to fast but like most garden people that didn't stop us. Before our visit was over I had a chunk of plant in a wet paper towel and a ziploc full of seeds and no idea what plant "she had plenty of to share" I planted the chunk of rootball when I got home but by then I didn't have much hope for it as it had been in wet newpaper in a ziplock in my trunk for 4 days by then. Imagine my suprise when in mid August I saw my 1st hibiscus bloom WOW instant addiction. I have never planted the seeds but I really want to my question is do I plant them now or in the spring? Do I have to soak them? Do I plant the whole pod? Also one of the stems broke in a recent wind the plant file says you can take rooted cuttings would a broken stem work? The only think I have ever rooted are hoyas and roses I would have to guess I would do the same with Hibiscus dunk in rooting hormone and stick in the dirt right??? Then would I keep the rooting inside for the winter? I just took a couple of pictures I think it is a Fireball or rose mallo please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks the newest Hibiscus addict.
Sandy

Here she is compared to my hand I would say the average bloom is about 7in across.

edit: just realized need to change the date on my camera wonder why that never stays right??


This message was edited Sep 13, 2006 11:20 AM

of couse I have questions on collecting my own seeds are these seed pods?

This is kind of a snapshot with all that is available to show on this plant the bottom dried bloom is what I am thinking I have to watch for a seed pod on the top is a flower bud yet to open and left of that where a bloom just fell off and left again the bottom of a flower. Am I watching the right thing for seeds??

Greetings Sandy!

From your photo I think you have a red Hibiscus moscheutos 'Disco Belle'. These plants are compact growing to about 3ft or so high and have large disc flowers. The flowers have a long central staminal column with bright yellow pollen. The leaves are ovate and not divide as in the ‘Fireball’ variety.

Once the flower fades and falls you will see the immature seed pod which you have in your 3rd photo above. Provided the flowers got pollinated you will see the seedpod grow larger over the next few weeks and will look similar to the photo I have posted here. Once the seedpod turns brown and begins to split open you can collect the seeds and either sow them immediately or store them in the frig until next spring. Since you are in a colder climate and its September your best option is to collect the seeds when they are ripe(seedpod is brown) and store them for planting next spring unless you have a greenhouse. Hib seeds need warm soil(above 65 degrees) to sprout. Fresh seeds can sprout within a week if the temps are 80 or warmer.

Some hybrids will not produce any seedpods. Lord Baltimore is one that doesn’t. I grow lots of different kinds from seed each with various size blooms and colours. Just keep an eye on your plant to see what happens. About 3 days after the flowers drop you can tell because the seedpods will turn yellow and fall off if they are not viable. You can always take cuttings to make more plants. They root pretty easy using rooting powder or if the stems are old enough will root in water. Make sure you change the water every few days to keep algae from growing. I've heard adding a bit of hydrogen peroxide will help keep the algae under control too, but I've never tried it.

You don't want to plant the pod, open the pod up and remove the seeds. You can soak them in water with a little bit of h202 over night then plant. But remember one thing the seeds may not be true to the parent. Or like NCplantsman suggested you can root in water, or by using rooting hormone. I recently rooted some Kooper King and used distrilled water, and had real good luck with it. But if you root in water it can take a while for them to root. I know this summer (around June) I had a branch of one of my tropicals break and I put it in water, it still hasn't gotten any roots to speak of but does have a lot of white nubbies. And I can tell it won't be long before the roots start appearing.

You do have a very pretty flower.

Wow that is one georgeous flower!!!

Thank you for all your information I will keep a close eye on it but flowers come and go so quickly from this plant it is hard to keep track. I at least know the approximate size of the seed pods from the bag she gave me which makes me believe this will produce seeds. If I store them in the fridge till spring can I take them out of the pod so they take up less room? I think I will try to root the branch that broke in the wind I am a little more comfortable with cuttings but seeds are so much easier to share. Thank you again for your help I will keep you posted on the seed pod progress.

2pugdogs you said "seeds may not be true to the parent" I have seen that line many times but still don't understand what it means. Can you explain and thank you and marieortiz for the compliment I think these flowers are georgeous too.


Sandy

I am like you Sandy this is what I have read here on DG. IMP I think it means when the flower gets pollinated it is possibly done from another flower. Like when a Red hibiscus gets pollinated it could be from a white hibiscus. It takes two parents to make a seed and you will get some of both.

Maybe a person in the know will jump in here and explain it much better.

Like I said I have just read if you want a flower true to itself you need to take cutting, but if you plant seeds they may not be true to the parent.

Now are you totally confused, I think I am confusing myself.

Seeds are formed when the pollen from one flower is transferred to the stigma of another flower. (See photo for what a hibiscus stigma looks like). After pollination the seed capsule will swell and the tiny seeds grow and mature until they are ripe.

If the pollen came from the same red flower like yours then the plants from those seeds you sow will likely all be red. However, if the pollen came from say a white flowered hibiscus then you will have plants with different flower colours. What colour will they be?
According to Mendelian genetics(I won’t get too technical here) depends on which colour is dominate. You might get all red, half red half pink or a combination of red, white and pink.

Cross-pollinating between different coloured flowers is what makes new varieties. I crossed a solid red with a white flower hib with a red center and got a blush pink. Some plants did bloom solid red too, but the pinks were really pretty.

Thank you for the info I have always wondered that but since I don't deal with seeds much never took the time to try to figure it out. I am thinking I may then plant the seeds in one of the back gardens since I am really trying to keep myself to just red in this particular bed. I am not sure what other color hibs she had in her garden since there were non in bloom when I visited so I am not sure what the seeds will produce. I did start the small branch that broke in the wind in a pot to see if I could root it I will try another in water soon. I looked this morning and could not see anything that looked like a viable seed pod :( but I will keep my eyes open. One more seed rookie question if your not too tired of them yet. You said "pollen from one flower is transferred to the stigma of another flower." these flowers can be on the same plant right?? I know with corn you have to have more then one row to get pollination and many fruit trees I have to have 2 or more trees. Do I need to have 2 hib plants to get pollination and therefore seeds???

Thank you again
Sandy

With hibs pollination can occur with pollen either from the same flower or from a different flower on the same plant. Bees usually are the main pollen carrier so if you have more than one flower in bloom your chances of getting a seedpod increase. You can also be the pollinator yourself by using a small artist paintbrush and dapple the pollen on the stigma.

Thanks Kevin, I wasn't to far off. But just didn't know how to put words to it. I am sure you are aware of that. I did learn 1 thing for sure, I didn't realize it could be pollinated by another flower on the same plant. I thought it wouldn't work unless it was from a different plant.

Thank you for all your help I promise no more questions (at least for the next few minutes)

Sandy

Sandy, I have had a blast planting from seed this year. Of coarse I didn't collect them, I got them from a seed company, BUT, they have turned out beautifully considering this is the first year. I do love my hardys because I can leave them in the ground when it freezes. I am going to start a new thread, but this is one of them:

Marie