Planted from seedbeginner's luck!

I awoke to a beautiful surprise this morning. I ordered a packet of 10 Disco Belle Rosy Red this past winter and planted 5 of them in the house along with my peppers and tomatoes. I didn't really think I could grow one from a seed and I certainly didn't think I would get a bloom the first year. I've never owned hibiscus until this year.

This 8-inch bloom is even more beautiful than the 3 I bought from Lowes's this past spring. I hope I can keep them alive during the winter. I love the challenge of growing things from seed, but I'm especially proud of this because I didn't think I could do it!!! Four of the five plants survived and are covered in buds.

How beautiful! Congratulations on your seed success! With the Disco Belle you will difinitely have no problem keeping it over your Florida winters! They are Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) and hardy down to zone 4! :)

Are the ones you got at Lowes the Hardy Hibiscus or Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis)? If they are Tropical they are only hardy to zone 9... so you may need to mulch those ones. Maybe someone could give ya good advice with doing that in your zone. They may do just fine in your zone for winters ...I have no idea because I have to have my Tropical Hibiscus inside here in cold Colorado winters.

Thanks for sharing your surprise! It is a beauty.

Sincerely,
Vanessa

Thank you! It's so much fun to see something you grow from a seed develop into such a beautiful flower.

The tags that came with the ones I purchased say 1) The President, hibiscus rosa-sinensis, tropical evergreen, hardy to 40-50 degrees; 2) Sunset Yellow, hardy to 30 degrees.
All of my hibiscus are in flower pots. I did not put them in the ground so that I could overwinter them indoors or, hopefully, in a greenhouse if I'm very lucky. Our winters in NW Fla. are much colder than in South Florida. It's not unusual to have temps in the 20's and occasionally below. That probably sounds warm to someone living in Colorado.
I assume I will have the same problem this winter with my mandevillas and dipladenia. Are these what are referred to as "tender perennials?"

Thanks, again, for your compliment. I just couldn't wait to share my excitement with someone who loves hibiscus. I'd love to locate seeds for some other varieties. I love the lavender one shown in another thread.

H. rosa-sinensis is the tropical one, that one will be a bit questionable outdoors in your zone, but I think we have some folks from TX who are in zone 8 who have had them make it. But if you want a sure thing, I'd bring them in. I'm in zone 9 and I'm much happier with mine when I keep them in the greenhouse for the winter--if I don't, they do survive but they lose all their leaves and take forever to get going again in the spring, but if I put them in the GH they bloom sporadically throughout the winter and are totally ready to go come spring. I'm not sure why 'The President' is listed as only hardy to 40-50 degrees, tropical hibiscus are hardy into zone 9, so although it would be happier and more likely to keep all its leaves for the winter if you keep it warmer, it should survive down to about 30 just like 'Sunset Yellow' which is also a tropical.

Your mandevillas & dipladenias are similar or maybe a little less hardy than the hibiscus so you'll need to bring those in too (unless it's Mandevilla laxa which is much hardier...it's also less common and has smaller less showy flowers so chances are yours are the tropical kind)

I have found that most of the plants I buy from Lowes, Home Depot and Walmart come are from Robrick Nursery (www.robrick.com). You can go to their website and they have the growing info for each plant they grow. I have found that most of the hibiscus plants I have bought are even hardier than what the tag that came with my plant states.
Karen O.