How to care hibiscus plants

Hibiscus area unit massive shrubs or tiny trees that manufacture large, colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers over an extended season. alternative common names embody mallow|China rose|Chinese hibiscus|Rose of China|shoeblack plant|shoe black|Hibiscus rosa-sinensis|hibiscus} and tropical hibiscus.
About This Plant
Hibiscus area unit deciduous shrubs with dark inexperienced leaves; the plants will grow to fifteen feet tall in frost-free areas. Flowers is also up to six inches diameter, with colours starting from yellow to peach to red.mallow may be planted individually or fully grown as a hedge plant; they'll even be cropped into a single-stemmed tiny tree. The flowers area unit enticing to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Special options
Attracts hummingbirds
Attracts butterflies
Site choice
Select a web site with full sun and well-drained soil. mallow conjointly adapt well to growing in containers.
Planting directions
Plant in spring, summer, or fall, spacing plants three to six feet apart. Dig a hole solely as deep because the root ball and a couple of to three times as wide. If your soil is in terribly poor condition, amend the soil you have far from the outlet with atiny low quantity of compost. Otherwise do not amend it in the least. fastidiouslytake away the plant from the instrumentality and set it within the hole. Fill the outlet 0.5 full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Let the water drain, then fill the rest of hole with soil and water totally.
Care
Hibiscus need a minimum of one in. of rain (or equivalent watering) every week. They prefer to beperpetually dampish, however not wet. Feed double a month throughout the season and prune as necessary to regulate plant size and prune errant branches. Cut branches back to merely on top of a facet shoot. mallow area unit sensitive to cold ought to|and will|and may} be protected once temperatures read the 30s; container-grown plants should be brought inside. Check plants sporadically for pests like aphids, white flies, and mealybugs. Use afarming oil or insecticidal soap to regulate these pests.