How Do You Grow A Tropical Hibiscus?
The tropical hibiscus is a magnificent plant, rarely surpassed in beauty. Its glossy flowers, dark green foliage and non-stop flowers in pinks, yellows, oranges, white, lavender and scarlet are showstoppers. In USDA plant hardiness zones 9-11 (e.g., central and south Florida), they bloom from late spring to early winter. This hibiscus, the Chinese or Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, is a member of the mallow family just like cotton, okra and hollyhock. Decide where you will plant your tropical hibiscus. If you live in a climate that freezes, keep it in a container because it will be injured by any temperatures below the mid to upper 20s (degrees Fahrenheit). If you put your plants in pots, you will have to carry all of them inside to safety when the temperature drops. If you plan to keep your plants in containers, examine the rootball when you get it home from the nursery. If the hibiscus is pot-bound, shift it into a container about one-third larger than the one in which it is growing. If it i
