Q&A for How to Prune Hibiscus

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When can I prune my hibiscus?

Andrew Carberry, MPH
Food Systems Expert
Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.

Andrew Carberry, MPH

Food Systems Expert

Expert Answer

The best time to prune hibiscus is just before the weather warms in the spring.

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Question

Is a hibiscus a perennial?

Andrew Carberry, MPH
Food Systems Expert
Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.

Andrew Carberry, MPH

Food Systems Expert

Expert Answer

Yes, hibiscus is a perennial plant. Pruning it each year will encourage a full shape and lots of flowers.

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My hibiscus are lovely, green and healthy; they begin flower well; but then the leaves turn yellow and start to drop in the growing season. Any idea why?

Community Answer

Too much water will turn them yellow. Not enough water will turn them brown.

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Question

Will a hibiscus grow back if it was cut down in the fall?

Community Answer

Yes, provided that the plant was healthy and well taken care of. You can cut a hibiscus all the way to the ground and it will come back.

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Question

Why are the branches drooping on my hibiscus?

Community Answer

This is often a sign that it's under-watered.

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Will my hibiscus grow in England?

Community Answer

Yes, it should grow just fine in England.

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Question

I've been fighting mealy bugs on my hibiscus and finally had to do a drastic trimming to expose the trunks. Now I see mealy bug eggs layered in the old trunk creases. Can I put a sealant in those to keep the mealy bugs out?

Community Answer

I've successfully used a systemic insecticide on my hibiscus and of my other plants. There are many to choose from but I recommend Bonide 941 System Insect Control.

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Question

Should you pluck the bloom once it wilts?

Community Answer

Yes, just as the flower has closed. When the flower is freshly closed, there is often still quite a bit of nectar in the flower base when you pull it off the green "cup" (calyx), and there's also usually a large drop inside the calyx. Taking off the spent blooms keeps the plant tidy and encourages more flowers. However, you can leave them on if you wish to get seed pods and try growing from seed. The new plants and flowers may not come true to the "donor" plant, but it's fun to try. So yes, you can (and probably should) remove the spent flowers, but if you see pods forming, you can leave a few on the plant.

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Question

Do hibiscus plants grow outside?

Community Answer

They do along the Gulf coast, at least from Panama City to Houston. If you live in an area that gets cold weather, you might want to cover them or bring them in during the winter.

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Question

In Kentucky, when does a ground planted hibiscus begin to come up?

Community Answer

It is the beginning of May in Kentucky and my plant has shoots coming from the ground.

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Question

Can I use vinegar and water with a dash of dishwashing liquid added to control what looks like an aphid on my blooms?

Community Answer

Yes. Mix and put it in a spray bottle and fill the rest of the way with water. Make sure to spray top and bottom of your leaves. They should be gone in a 24 hour period.

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Question

When is the best time to trim my hibiscus back?

Community Answer

The best time to trim back your hibiscus is in early spring.

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Question

How do I get my hibiscus to branch out?

Community Answer

Hibiscus plants bloom and branch out on new growth. Trim your plant to make it branch out. You may do this by just pinching back or as described above.

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Question

Is it possible to root any of the branches cut off while pruning my.hibiscus?

Community Answer

Yes. Place the cut end in potting soil, and keep the soil moist for several weeks or longer.

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Question

I have a potted hibiscus that I plan to bring in to a very sunny location in the fall. When should I prune it? It grew really high during the summer.

Community Answer

It is best if you hold off and do your trimming in the early spring. This will promote a healthy, fuller, plant and more blooming flowers to enjoy.

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Question

My hibiscus plant is an inside plant; it never goes outside. I want to transplant it into a bigger pot. Can you give me any suggestions?

Community Answer

I've had an indoor hibiscus plant for years, and two years ago I decided to give it a bigger pot. It wasn't much different than repotting other plants, though its size was a challenge. I had to have my husband give me an extra set of hands to help lift and to keep it upright in the new pot until it was firmly planted. It has been loving its new pot and is growing beautifully.

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Question

What does it mean if the end of the branches that I pruned on my hibiscus turned black?

Community Answer

If you pruned it in summertime, then there is a probability that the branches are being scorched. You should move the plant.

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Question

I cut my hibiscus all the way back last year. When it came up this year, it was only one stalk 4 feet tall with buds on the end. After it blooms, how do I prune it to make it fuller?

Community Answer

Keep trimming that single stalk back above a node 1/3 or less from the tip of each twig.

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Question

My hibiscus branches don't have any leaves on them. They just look like sticks. Is my plant dead?

Community Answer

Use a pruner to clip the branches back a tiny bit to see whether the wood is green or white. If white, continue to clip back until you see green. If it's all white, it's dead.

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Question

When is the best time to prune a hibiscus in the southwest U.S.?

Community Answer

Early spring, for the most part. It rejuvenates the bush after its winter dormancy.

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Question

I think I gave my hibiscus too much or possibly the wrong fertilizer. The leaves turned yellow and the plant seems distressed. Have I done irreversible damage or can I fix it?

Community Answer

The best thing that you could do right now to help the plant is to give a lot of water to try to flush some of the fertilizer out that you have given it.

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Question

What's the best time to prune hibiscus?

Community Answer

Early spring is the best time to prune. You can do minor pruning later in spring or early summer, never in fall.

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Question

How often can I prune hibiscus plants if the stalks are leggy?

Community Answer

Do not do a major prune more than once a year, in early spring. If it's leggy, it usually means it needs more light.

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