Hibiscus

[jillyandmikey]

I have a hibiscus potted in a rather large pot. My grandmother gave it to me a year ago. It started out small but has grown to approx. 2 1/2 feet high and it's abundant with leaves. New ones are sprouting up all the time. Unfortunately, I have yet to see a single flower. And I want some flowers!! :D I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I tried setting it outside for a few days to get some sunshine but for some reason some of the leaves became very dry and they turned white. I brought it back in and those leaves eventually died. It's been fine since, but the flowers are just non-existant. What could I be doing wrong? It sits in a nice sunny window that faces East so it gets the morning sun. I water it when the soil seems dry which is about once a week.

One more question: my hibiscus is currently leaning at about a 45 degree angle and I've tried standing it up straight in the soil and packing the soil tightly around it but it ALWAYS falls back to that 45 degree angle again. Should I prop it upright with a wooden dowel or something? Or should I even be concerned about it? I look forward to any advice anyone has to give. Thanks!!!

Edited to add: I live in Zone 6 (Southwest Missouri)

Jill

where I am hibiscus will grow to more like 20 ft (outside), but I think I may
be able to help anyway.

For the flowering: fertilize with something with a relatively high phosphate
content (the middle one of the numbers for the fertilizer's content).

As for the leaves falling off: the plant wasn't acclimated to being outside.
If you want to put it outside, put it in semi-shade/filteres sunlight first and
give it time to get used to being in the sun (at least a few days in each
location)

I wouldn't pay particular attention to the plant growing at a 45 degree
angle. It would normally want to grow upright (when outside), but if the
source of the brigthest light is off to the side it will grow sideways as it
grows towards the light. This is, unless there is a mechanical reason
(root ball shape, planter size) for it to go back to the same orientation
it came from.

Good growing,

Maren, in Hilo, HI, zone 11

[Newt]

Hi Jill,
Here's a site on hibiscus that you should find helpful. You can also rotate your plant towards the light so it will grow straight.

http://www.trop-hibiscus.com/index.html

Newt

[Neferisis]

For the flowering: fertilize with something with a relatively high phosphate
content (the middle one of the numbers for the fertilizer's content).

I would disagree with this advice. Hibiscus are susceptable to a phosporous toxicity if too much is applied. Putting a product such as a bloom booster (which typically have absurd rates such as 10-50-10) can actually kill your plant rather quickly. Most commercial growers use lower phosphorous products (even on plants that aren't hibiscus since it promotes much unwanted strrreeettccchh. In fact, we don't use anything more than 21-8-18 or 13-2-13 for the most part... but this isn't the right thread to discuss the reasons behind specific fertilizer compositions!).

This is a great page for those with Hibiscus problems:
http://www.exotic-hibiscus.com/pages/dearyfaq.htm
There is a question on there that specifically addresses your question.
I've ordered from them and always received great plants. (And no I don't work for them)

Lindi