Hibiscus! Tropical or Hardy? A little help please.....

hibiscus ( photo / image / picture from Mrs. Galeassi's Garden )



Hello fellow Stewbies... This beautiful Hibiscus grows in some sand between my door and my nieghbors. Its pretty badly cut, but still so pretty. I'd love it if one of my knowledgable stewbies could please help me find out about this hisicus. Like is it Hardy or Tropical and what's the type. You know what I mean, I still haven't gotten the whole cultivar and specises thing down... ahhh come on just so much to learn always! Hahaha
But that's not all cause id like to have its baby! That sounded wrong. Now I found this article that may help about where the seed pods are and to wait till they turn brown. So I went to my (not really) plant and looked and seen two spots where spent flowers must of fell off and the pods are still green. Now my question is do I really have to wait cause sometimes I get over excited and become impatient. Not going to lie! Lol. Also do I have to go find another similar hibiscus and rub there pollen to breed them? And then wait for that flower to get spent and fall off and then wait for that pod to turn brown.
Wow it all seems so much... but I really would love to get one growing in a big pot I have..... and I don't want one from the store... id like my own baby I grew myself... So help me please?

 

Do you know how long that plant has been growing in that location?
By the looks of those nice thick woody branches, I'd say it's been a while.
So, if it's been growing there a while, I'd say it's at least "hardy" for your part of the world. And since you're in Florida... it could also be Tropical.
The flower looks like the tropical one's they sell around here which tyically die over the winter (unless they are brought inside or put in a greenhouse). They also have glossy kinda leaves.
The Hardy ones that I have don't have such a frilly flower... just 5-6 pedals. And the leaves are more "dull". They do die back in the winter but put on lots of new growth from the roots.
Now about those seed pods. I haven't tried growing or getting seeds from a Tropical one... but with the Hardys. Wait for the seed pod to turn brown and so dry that it's about to split open. You can get LOTS of seeds from each pod. They are a little slow to germinate, but I've had good success getting new plants.

 

Thanks Cherylad, It looks to be older and has been butchered a bit in my opinion. Here's some more pics to show where its located and the shape he's in. Very hearty it seems.


( photo / image / picture from Mrs. Galeassi's Garden )






( photo / image / picture from Mrs. Galeassi's Garden )

 

It does appear to need some TLC. Does your neighbor tend to it?
Maybe they don't even care about it anymore? Maybe they'd let you dig it up and bring it to your house?

 

Which way is the best to germinate these? With the hard okra and bean seeds I soak them 3 days and for squash and pumpkin I do the damp paper towel method. Would either of these methods work? Will the seeds be dried out already when the pods turn brown?

I think the owners of the complex own it... this is a community of a bunch of side by side duplex's. They only trim the plants here, nothing more. I'm not sure if I could take it. But I did fertilize it.. and it gets water when I get my potted plants....

Oh and by the way there was broken fish tank peices all around it, I keep cleaning over there, last tenants threw beer caps in there too.... so weird cause this beach community is so clean. Probably why these people are gone.... haha Its probably super old.. lots of cut limbs.


moderator's note: removed double posting see point 3.6 of usage rules

 

I'd soak the seeds for at least a day... maybe three at the most.
And yes... the seeds will be ready when that pod is dry.
Sounds like it's your plant already since you're the taking care of it!

I'm just curious... I wonder if it could be started from a cutting? I have a start from a friend's plant. She just stuck in the dirt and it took.
Since it's already chopped up, maybe try taking a cutting of a nice green flexible stem?

 

looks similiar to my double peach hibiscus?

Just took this pic. of mine;



( photo / image / picture from SusieQ07's Garden )

 

Did it take long to take? And how can you tell if it took? I have a gardenia in a jar of water for a month now and nothing.... But id love to try that with this hibiscus. Hey thanks I didn't think of that!

 

I don't know how long it took to take
I'm not even certain if she used root stimulator or not. She said she just stuck it in the ground. I dug it up and have it in a clear container so I can keep an eye on the root development.

I'd treat it like any other stem cutting... root stimulator and mixture of potting soil and perlite or vermiculite. Or if you're able to get a couple of cuttings, you could try it in water (with root stimulator).

 

I would definitely try to grow some seeds, and taking cuttings! I love seeing those when I'm farther south. Best of luck!

I agree with Cheryl, it's a tropical plant.

Not to split hairs, but hearty means robust, and would more likely be used to describe the growth of a weed or vine, not a beautiful cultured Hibiscus. Hardy means able to survive for winter, in the context of plants anyway. Where it never freezes, it's virtually a non-issue. If there are occasional frosts, one could definitely say this shrub is hardy *where you are* due to the fact that it's many years old and has survived many winters. But generally it's not a hardy plant because a night colder than a light frost, or many nights in a row of frost or colder would likely completely kill it.

 

Oh well hearty hardy no worries she knew what I meant. And it does get below freezing here during winter, We seen the 20s quite a bit this past winter. Which I did not like... uuggghhh Not down with the cold! So no split hairs..... Thanks

 

I am in FL. 33 yrs. and Hibiscus will take a hit in winter frost/freeze etc. but almost always come back, it's best to not plant them on the North side of your home, they will do better in other locations.