Can Hibiscus survive outside in winter

I am new to gardening. I had a landscaper help me and we planted hibiscus and some Mexican heather in one of my beds. I am not sure what type of hibiscus it is. My neighbor told me neither will survive the winter. Is this true? Is there anything I can do to help them survive. I am in copperas cove, TX.

It very much depends on the variety. Some Hibiscus can survive and some can't. Can you post pictures? Then someone can identify them and give advice. Do you know what zone you are in? We can help with that, too, if you don't know.

Kwanjin

When in doubt I usually don't cut the plant back (until spring), mulch it a bit, cross my fingers and do a little dance :) I'm on the edge of zone 7b-8 and I've had Mexican heather come back two years in a row. I think you're in 8a or 8b so it should come back for you, too. As kwanjin said, we'll need to know what kind of Hibiscus you have in order to determine its hardiness.

JaneBre - I suppose it might depend on the variety, as well as location, exposure, etc. I have one hibiscus I grew from seed 2 and a half years ago in the corner of my front yard. I really expected it to die off during that first winter, and sure enough, it went the way of all my other flowers in that area. It was in the Spring . . . around Easter time, I happened to look in that corner, and not only did it come back, but was twice as big!. It did the same thing last winter . . . this summer it was almost as tall as I am - and I'm 5'10"! Don't ask me variety, though . . . the seeds I bought from eBay showed a white flower w/red center, but the bloom on mine was lavender.

Just wanted to add that I didn't do anything to protect it during the freezes . . . it would freeze, the plant itself would die down, then grow fresh from the ground in the spring.

This message was edited Nov 30, 2007 3:08 PM

I have three tropical hibiscuses. I don't know the variety -- yellow, red, and peach.

We have had 3 or 4 hard frosts - temps lower than 32 deg. for 8 to 10 hours. The first one came before I had gotten delivery of my frost cloth, so I covered the red and yellow ones with a blanket. They have some damaged leaves on the top -- which they got the first night. I think that the blanket transferred the cold through to the leaves it was touching. Since then, with the frost cloth I have no additional damage. They are very much alive still.

The peach one is a small (12") plant in a raised bed, and it's right up against the house. I have not been covering this one, and it has no damaged leaves. In fact, it was blooming the other day. I think it is in a micro-climate. Finding that was just a fluke as I'm sure not up between 3:00 am and 5:00 am running around with a thermometer looking for micro-climates. LOL.

So, I would suggest getting some frost cloth and covering them at night when the temp is predicted to drop below, say, 40 or so. I got the heavy-duty stuff which is supposed to protect down to 20 degrees. The important thing with the frost cloth, as I understand it, is that it needs to go completely to the ground all the way around. I weight it down with several bricks or rocks in case of wind.

Good luck,

Karen

It depends on what zone you're in--if you're in the zone 9 part of TX then even the tropical ones can probably survive outside unless you have a bad winter. (sorry, I have no idea where Copperas Cove is, sounds like maybe it's on the Gulf Coast though in which case you probably are in zone 9). I'd plan to cover them up if you're expecting frost though, if they get too much frost then sometimes they'll come back in the spring, but they tend to be really slow so you'll have blooms sooner next year if you protect them from the coldest weather.

Thanks for all the information. I think I am in 8b. I am attaching a picture if anyone can tell what type it is.

It looks like Rose of Sharon. Hibiscus syriacus. You should be fine with a frost cloth.

Anybody else?

This message was edited Nov 30, 2007 3:12 PM

if it is a rose of sharron then i would not worry--i live north of you and that plant has no problems over the winter--mine is more of a tree now!

I have several fully mature RofS and winter doesn't bother them.

If your really not too sure about the frost hardiness, would the landscaper not let you know, but to be extra careful, buy some of the very fine white garden fleece from the garden center and if a frost is forecast, just throw this over them like a blanket, next morning, remove it, I sometimes have to do that with my camellia when they are in flower bud stage and a heavy night frost is due because the frost rots the buds if the sun defrosts them too fast in the morning sun (if we ever get any of that), with this stuff, the light gets through as does the rain, it just keeps a bit of frost off to stop it getting into the tender bits, good luck, WeeNel.

If it is Rose of Sharon then it's hardy several zones colder than where you are, no frost cloth should be necessary, I used to live in zone 5/6 and they did just fine there.

However, I don't think you have RoS, the leaves don't look the right shape and the flowers look a little too bright pink. It's mainly the leaf shape that puts me in doubt though--check out the leaf shape in this pic: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/6083/ I'd have to see an open flower to be sure, but I sort of suspect yours is a tropical hibiscus, H. rosa-sinensis, and if you're only in zone 8 then you will definitely want to give it a bit of help on cold nights. I'd say anytime you're expecting frost or temperatures below freezing overnight, toss some frost cloth over it.

That doesn't look anything like Rose of Sharon to me. Althea (Rose of Sharons) are hardy even here in my zone. That looks very much like a tropical hibicus to me. It def. needs some forms of winter protection. Is my vote. Good luck.
Kim

Here is more info. on tropical hibiscus from pf.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/41796/

This message was edited Nov 30, 2007 8:47 PM

Here is pf of Altheas; these blooms are conderably smaller, they are roughly 2.5" - 3" compared to that of the tropical hib. Which are 5-6 inches across.

Another different Althea blooms last longer, while tropical hib.'s will last a day, but continually form new ones all through the growing season.
Kim
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/788/



This message was edited Nov 30, 2007 8:53 PM

HI LilyLove,

I agree it doesn't look like my roses of sharon either, but then there are several different varieties. I am not that knowledgeable about tropical hibiscus as I really only grow them as annuals here, but the woody branches and "shrub" look make me wonder - do tropical hibiscus grow in that woody shrub form?

Yes, tropical hibiscus are also shrubs and look a lot like this plant. You're right that there are many varieties of Rose of Sharon, but they all have similar shape leaves and this plant does not have the right shape leaves to be RoS.

I also just noticed nobody addressed the Mexican heather yet...it is hardy to zone 8a so it should be OK unless it's an unusually cold winter.

Hello Steve, how is the Lilies garden doing since we last chatted? Tropical Hibiscus that I collect can grow to a woodsy shrubbery forms that are 6-8 feet tall - unless I trim them down.

JaneBre; have you got different pics. for comparision?
Kim

This looks like a generic tropical hibiscus I have but definitely not Althea or Rose of Sharon.

I have been unable to get a hold of the guy who helped me. He said they everything we planted would survive and bloom again next year. I am going to by a couple frost cloths just to be sure.

Here are a couple other pictures for comparison.

Pic

Wow I learn something new every day! Well it's very pretty, no matter what it is. Thanks for the info, Kim and ecrane.

Well Kim they are doing fine! I have planted LOTS for bloom next year to add to my collection - like nearly 200 lily bulbs. Mostly Asiatics and OT's, with some Orientals. What did you plant this year?

It's difficult to judge a flower by pics. With the appropriate scale of the bloom, now I'm going back with one of the first vote of Altheas. Which is hardier, congrats.

Steve, I've Silk Road, and revised my Lilies bed, moved all my bulbs recently with success, I'm delighted, and looking forward to add more in the future as goes for Lilies. Looking forward to meeting you again in the Lilies gardens at Dave's.
Kim

OK, the flower looks too small for tropical hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis). I still don't think it's a Rose of Sharon (H. syriacus) though, the leaves are not right. I've never seen a RoS with leaves like that, and I've also never seen one with flowers that color. And it doesn't look like H. coccineus, H. moscheutos, or H. mutabilis which are the other commonly grown hardy hibiscus. I think you should post a couple pics over in the ID forum and see if anyone over there recognizes it.

I vote with ecrane3 who leads to something different.....Good lucks, and keep us posted of the positive I.D.

Ok - Thanks. I will post pics in ID forum and see what we come up with. Will post when I find out.

Most said it was a tropical. I guess I will cover it and hope it survives. Maybe I will be ablt to move insaude. Thanks for all the help.

JaneBre ~ You could pot it up and provide indoor protection or perhaps you might take cuttings to root new plants. That way, you will still enjoy the plants if they don't overwinter.

I understand you posted in the ID forum. Would you be able to post a photo of this on the Hibiscus forum?

I don't have a map handy to know where you are located ~ do you know what zone you are? Please let us know the outcome... pod