Hello Gardeners, We bought two Hibiscus last summer that our dog ate. Well there wasn't much to them left so I planted them outside last fall in Zone 7 (North Carolina Piedmont) not expecting much from them. What little green was there died off in the winter down to the ground. This spring/summer they grew about 3 foot high and wide with a great color display.
My question is, since they both lived through a frost winter, what should I do this year? Should I cut them back to the base? Dig em up and bring them in? If I cut them back should I cut em down to the root level again or just give them a trim? I don't have the variety info and I looked at Rose of Sharon and the leaf structure doesn't look the same so I don't think they are azaleas.
2007-08-26 03:38:57 · 4 answers · asked by Daniel B 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
HARDY HIBISCUS - Hibiscus syriacus Zones 5 - 8
most folks that I know cut them back to about five inches and mulch them in pretty heavy....and mark them so you know it's not a dead plant, cuz they take forever to get going in spring... May or June before they really get a move on.... especially up in the Ohio area...
2007-08-26 08:39:24 · answer #1 · answered by meanolmaw 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
some hibiscus are cold hardy. it sounds as though this is what you have.
zone 7 is semi-tropical (i believe). your hibiscus should do just fine, unless you have one of those rare winters where the temps stay below freezing for an extended amount of time.
i would not dig the plant up, but would mulch heavily in te late fall. i would not cut the plant back either. i would wait until spring and see if the branches put out new buds or if the new growth comes from the base of the plants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus
hope this helps.
2007-08-26 08:03:00 · answer #2 · answered by Belize Missionary 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That depends if they are a tropical or a perennial hibiscus. Some hibiscus plants are more hardy than others...rough leaves as opposed to smooth ones. The ones with the rough leaves are considered hardier and are perinea ls that will die and come back each year so you do not have to worry about them. If you have a tropical hibiscus then yes you need to bring them inside (the smooth shinier leaves)
2016-05-18 01:50:23 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the safest thing would be to just give them a trim, root prune them soon and bring them in before the first frost. You got lucky last year and maybe it is a hardy variety and would work outside this winter too. But if you want to be really safe...
2007-08-26 03:57:13 · answer #4 · answered by B Anne 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋