Different Ways to Propagate a Tropical Hibiscus

Seed

• Tropical hibiscus seeds germinate in a seed-starting tray or pot filled with commercially prepared starter mix. Soil should be moist and daytime temperatures should remain between 80 and 85 degrees. A plastic dome or bag over the container preserves moisture. Trop-hibiscus.com recommends placing the container on a heat mat and under a grow light to promote quick germination. The seedlings are ready for transplant after true leaves emerge and the stems turn woody. Six to 18 months after germination, the hibiscus should produce flowers. Hybrid seeds produce flowers with traits from both parent plants.

Cuttings

• According to the University of Minnesota Extension, the easiest hibiscus propagation method is by vegetative cuttings. Stem cuttings should be 5 inches long from a mature hibiscus plant, and should contain one to four leaf nodes. You can also propagate by single leaf cuttings. Dipping the cut end of the stem or leaf in rooting hormone promotes faster root development. Insert the cut end of the stem or leaf in a pot filled with light potting mix and keep the pot in a warm, humid, well-lit area. The new hibiscus plants should be ready for transplant after a month.

Air Layering

• Air layering involves rooting from an inch-long, upward-slanting slash 12 inches from the end of a mature, healthy tropical hibiscus stem. Moistened sphagnum moss wrapped around the slash provides a rooting medium. Cover the moss in plastic to preserve moisture, and remove the plastic regularly to check the moisture and add water if necessary. When roots develop and fill the sphagnum moss, cut the stem below the sphagnum moss, remove the moss and tape and plant the layer in a container filled with potting mix.

Grafting

• Growers propagate hybrid hibiscus plants by grafting the hybrid plant onto a hardy rootstock. Grafting involves cutting notches in the rootstock and the hybrid to expose the tissue under the bark. The notched areas on the two plants fit together, and a strip of grafting tape or rubber holds the notches together. To maintain consistent moisture levels, cover the joined plants with a plastic bag for two weeks. After four to six weeks, remove the grafting tape.