Is this hibiscus and what do I do with it?

Lovelyjoolz

Done some googling and think this might be hibiscus:






Its lovely, but last year it was about 4.5ft high, and I was too scared to prune it. This year it's 6ft plus so I'll have to cut it down a bit.

Can anyone tell me how to prune it (bearing in mind that I'm the lady that kills virtually everything she touches!)

Valli

Think you're right and it is.

*jealous*

Lovelyjoolz

Valli wrote: »

Think you're right and it is.

*jealous*

It's lovely isn't it? I inherited it with the house and thought it was dead for ages because the branches are very very pale when the leaves are off. I decided to give it a year to see what happened and I'm so glad I did. I was stunned when it did it's stuff the following summer

Of course, being a complete novice in the garden, I didn't prune it last year and I've been gobsmacked at how much height it's added this year!

I just need to know how and when to prune it down without killing it!

Errata

Lucky you! Here's some info

They flower on this season's growth, so hard pruning that leads to the production of many side shoots makes them flower prolifically. Every sub-branch that springs from the main framework and is cut back will produce four new shoots in three or four months, each bearing clusters of flower buds by late summer. If these are cut away the following season, another relay of shoots and flowers will spring from the cut branches.

Valli

Hardy hibiscus was the plant of the week in the Sunday express magazine this week. - copied from there

Flowers from late July to early Ocober, nmasses of blooms, neat, upright shrub growing to about 6ft high 2 to 3 ft wide needs feeding and mulch in in spring, no need to prune, roots easily from softwood cuttings taken from non-flowering shoots.

At a guess (what I woulld do) is prune (if you need to) after flowering, but don't prune hard in case it's one of those shrubs which strtas its floweres for the next year the previous year (like hydrangea).

But I am an amateur.

Valli

Bit of research

• Though hardy, hibiscus bushes will grow to the size of hawthorn trees if left to themselves. They can be kept to suitable proportions by pruning them each spring.

• They flower on this season's growth, so hard pruning that leads to the production of many side shoots makes them flower prolifically. Every sub-branch that springs from the main framework and is cut back will produce four new shoots in three or four months, each bearing clusters of flower buds by late summer. If these are cut away the following season, another relay of shoots and flowers will spring from the cut branches.

• To make sure that hardy hibiscus produce plenty of flower buds, it is essential to plant in an open sunny position. Unlike many other sun-lovers, they also like plenty of humus worked into the planting sites. An annual dose of rose fertiliser promotes tough growth.

• To train a bush into a standard, select the strongest main growth and tie it to a cane. Remove other main growths but shorten only the shoots that spring directly from the selected branch. Tie in the tip as it elongates and shorten to a couple of inches any side shoots that develop. After the standard has reached 4ft, remove the tip in spring and encourage the branches that form to become the head by letting them develop to a foot or so. Cut them back by half the next spring. Only when the head has formed and the trunk thickened enough to stand without support, should all side branches be removed.

from here


according to that you prune in Spring! Looks like I found what Errata did!

Ken68

Hi Lovely, am also jealous... accept it's size, embrace it ,enjoy , revel in such a lovely shrub, and anyway you can't in the long run make it small if it's meant to be big. DNA and all that.

eyeinthesky

I have 3 of these in my garden, and usually prune them hard after flowering. One is double flowered, the others are single flowered. I neglected to prune last year, (when I was made redundant and taking my employer to tribunal), and the height of the biggest one is around 11 ft high and 9 or 10 ft wide. They do grow a lot in a year!

Prune to give the height you prefer, and a pleasing shape. Don't worry, you won't kill it by hard pruning.

Valli

and when you DO prune it tip me off and I'll pop round and pick up a couple of cuttings;)

MrsAtobe

I planted on in the front garden of my last house, and each year I remember looking at it, and thinking, 'it's dead, I need to get rid' and each year it flowered beautifully, eventually. They like to try your patience, do hibiscus.

(Wonders off, wondering where best to plant one in the new garden)

unhappy_shopper

Valli wrote: »

and when you DO prune it tip me off and I'll pop round and pick up a couple of cuttings;)

Lovely hibiscus bush, LJ. I guess it is 'sugared almonds' from T&M. I planted it this year, but it is still mostly a stick with a couple of leaves. I too would like a couple of cuttings