Hardy Hibiscus

Has anyone successfully wintersown these? I have to make choices about what I will winter sow, and if these bloom in the 2nd year, then I might as well wait and sow them later in the summer and save winter sowing for things that will bloom this year.

Yes, they wintersow very well. If planted in good full sun, you might get a few blossoms late summer in the first year. I had only 2 and they one in full sun did bloom in late summer first year, the one in part sun didn't bloom until the next year.

Karen

okay, so I will sow these in the spring to plant out in the fall :-)

Thanks,
Michaela

I think they do well with cold stratification, though... H. syriacus (rose of sharon) seems to need it, and the hard seed coats on H. moscheutos make me think that the freeze-thaw of winter sowing might help them germinate also. If you're out of space/time, then you're out... but I'd include them if you can.

Thanks, critter . . . I still have lots of tiime to wintersow - it's more a matter of what will give me the most "bang for the buck." right now it looks like focusing on annuals, and then replacing the annuals with perennials in the fall.

I have soooo many things I could winter sow, that I have to prioritize. :-)

I will have to start perennials with seeds with a short shelf life - like delphiniums, but others I can safely leave to "spring sow" later. If I am only going to get a bloom or two this year from the Hibiscus, then I will wait and sow in June, and plant them out in September.