Care & Maintenance of Tropical Hibiscus

Site Conditions

• Tropical hibiscus need at least 1/2 day of bright light. They tolerate a full day of sun if protected during periods of scorching heat. Plant or pot your tropical hibiscus in quality soil that retains adequate moisture, but allows for proper drainage.

Proper Culture

• A few key maintenance tasks performed throughout the growing season keep tropical hibiscus healthy. Prune your hibiscus in the spring just before putting it outside if was kept inside during the winter. If it is a new plant, perform any needed maintenance pruning. Water your hibiscus deeply so that the top 12 to 18 inches of soil are moist. Water it daily during excessively warm periods. Regular fertilizing your hibiscus promotes prolific blooms.

Signs of Stress

• If the leaves start turning yellow or falling off, the plant is under stress. Over-watering, over-fertilizing, change in light levels or change in temperatures are usually responsible. Tropical hibiscus evolved to withstand drought conditions in tropical environments. It will recover from any of these causes it their respective proper levels are restored.

Winter Maintenance

• Except for those few parts of the country in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 9 or 10, tropical hibiscus needs to be brought inside for the winter or else treated like an annual and discarded. Little maintenance is needed during the winter once indoors. Avoid over-watering, as the lack of sunlight will allow excess moisture to remain in the pot and cause root rot. Fertilizing and pruning should not be done either as it will likely only lead to weak growth.