The tree hibiscus refers to one of the 300 breeding species of hibiscus in the genus Malva. Garden tree hibiscus is great for growing outdoors and indoors.
The main rules of planting and care
The vibrant tropical plant attracts widespread interest from gardeners with its relative hardiness, abundant long blooms and longevity. Hibiscus blooms in May-June and enjoys continuous flowering until the first frost. The flower size of the different hibiscus varies from 5 to 15 centimeters.
The success of cultivation depends on compliance with the key conditions of planting, seasonal pruning, care and fertilization.
Beginning gardeners often ask the question, “How to care for overseas crops.” In fact, there is nothing complicated about it.
Garden tree hibiscus is an amazing representative of its genus, represented in the world of flora by 241 wild species of the tropical mallow family. In its homeland, Hibiscus arborescens reaches a height of five meters and grows in the wild in Southeast Asia, South America, Africa, the Pacific Islands. Unlike herbaceous hibiscus, Hibiscus arborescens can delight its owners for 20 years, which distinguishes it from other ornamental crops. Hibiscus arborealis blooms throughout the summer period every year.
Planting and growing a garden hibiscus tree
Keep in mind the tropical origin of the tree hibiscus when planting it hibiscus tree in the open ground. Hibiscus tree prefers open lighted spaces, like representatives of herbaceous species, easily tolerates bright sun. Amateur gardeners do not call hibiscus a Chinese rose for nothing, because these plants need the same composition of soil as garden roses, which allows you to plant them in the same areas of the dacha.
Planting in the open ground is carried out in early spring at the beginning of the growing season, in order to have time with careful care to grow a full and healthy bush of a seedling. Preparation of a place for a bush begins as soon as the threat of night frosts is over, and the average daily temperature reaches 10-15 degrees of heat. Tree hibiscus grows well in fertile, humus-rich soils. The bottom of the planting hole, twice the volume of the root system of the seedling, is covered with a layer of compost or decomposed needles.
Sand, peat or sawdust should be added to acidic and heavy soil to increase water permeability and aeration. The pit is pre-watered, then the roots of the plant are placed in it, keeping the previous planting level. Carefully fill the roots with the prepared soil, slightly tamped with hands. After watering, again sprinkle the soil and dip the stem. Tree hibiscus can die from soil drying out, so experienced gardeners always mulch the hole.
Key points of care for the garden hibiscus
Hibiscus is easy to cut, which has made this method the most popular. When harvesting cuttings, you should pay attention to the number of nodes. A cuttings with four to five nodes is considered optimal. The oblique cuts of the stems are decontaminated with ashes or special growth promoters.
Cuttings are planted in trays, mini greenhouses or flower pots in a turfy-leaved mixture with peat mixed in equal proportions. The first signs of successful rooting are observed after 30 days. The cuttings are finished in separate pots and planted in the ground after the formation of the bush. In addition, garden hibiscus is excellent propagated by means of water germination of cuttings and planting seeds.
Young seedlings are not ready to endure the first winter like mature outdoor plants, they should be thoroughly insulated or brought into a dry dark cellar, balcony, cellar.
Young seedlings are not ready to endure the first winter like mature outdoor plants, they should be thoroughly insulated or brought into a dry, dark cellar, balcony, cellar.
Agronomy of tree hibiscus consists of timely watering, feeding and crown formation. Planting and care in the open air is not much different from the cultivation of indoor or greenhouse species. The continuous long process of flowering requires careful control of soil moisture. It is obligatory to timely feed and thin the green mass. The soil under the bush should remain moderately moist, without danger of drying out or excessive flooding. The signal of unacceptable soil drying out is the simultaneous loss of all flowers, including buds.
Hibiscus does not tolerate tap water containing chlorine and metal compounds. Herbaceous shrub will inform about bad water quality by yellowing leaf tips.
The hibiscus flower lives only one day, during which it has time to go through a full developmental phase from bud to ovary. As the sun goes down it ceases to exist and the next day others will bloom, just as bright and fragrant. Tree hibiscus is able to serve as a worthy decoration of the garden plot with the right balance of soil microelements. A short list of additives, the use of which is necessary in the garden to grow unpretentious plants consists of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compounds.
A simple feeding schedule for hibiscus, both herbaceous and other species, consists of regularly adding phosphorus fertilizers to the soil, at least every other month. Phosphorus and boron promote abundant flowering of garden hibiscus. Lack of nitrogen causes the growth of shoots to stop, which also affects flowering, since the buds are formed only on young shoots. The perennial tree hibiscus will overwinter well if it is properly fertilized on the eve of winter by enriching the soil with potassium.
Crown formation begins with the first vegetative season and continues until fall. Spring pruning stimulates the growth of young branches on which the buds will form. The first pruning of the shrub plant is carried out after the buds awaken, removing old branches to live areas. Shoots of the previous season are shortened by a quarter.
The crown should be periodically thinned, for better ventilation and stimulation of growth of young flowering shoots. The last pruning of the bush is done in the fall, when cold nights will stop the cycle of flowering. The young tree hibiscus does not differ much from the shrub species because of the large number of lateral branches.
Preparing the hibiscus shrub and tree for winter
In climatic zones of sharply continental and cold climates, the tree-like garden hibiscus is often grown in tubs, which are kept in rooms along with houseplants from autumn to spring. The tub cultivation allows you to get unusual decorative trees of several plants, the stems of which are intertwined as they grow. Indoor-grown tree hibiscus plants reach heights of 50 centimeters to two meters.
Many dachas are deprived of dry basements and cellars and gardeners leave hibiscus plants to winter in the open air. Insulating the plants is necessary if cold winters with 20-degree frosts are not uncommon in your area.
Shrub and arboreal hibiscus plants should be insulated in late November when there is a ten-degree frost.
Pre-cut branches are loosely tied together and a cloth bag is placed over the plant. The next insulating layer will be an improvised tent made of spruce lapnik, reeds, straw or Agrotex, Lutrasil. Pre-prepared mousetraps and poisons will help to protect the trunk of a wintering plant from damage by small rodents.
Natural threats to the tree hibiscus
Voles, mice and hares are not the only threat to the tropical guest. The greatest danger is a fungal disease – chlorosis, which causes the characteristic yellowing of leaves and shoots. The carriers of the dangerous disease are garden pests – aphids, mites, thrips.
An effective preventive measure is the cleaning of plants from dust with a soap solution, timely feeding, thinning the crown or replanting. Neighborhood with fragrant lavender makes garden tree hibiscus healthier, because the aroma of its flowers deters garden pests.
Garden hibiscus in legends and folk beliefs
Hibiscus flowers often appear in the beliefs and legends of people in countries with tropical climates. Their captivating beauty and amazing diversity associate them with sensual images of love and passion. Inhabitants of the Pacific Islands necessarily intertwine hibiscus flowers in a lei (a necklace of tropical flowers) to attract love. It turned out that the nectar of hibiscus flowers contains an aphrodisiac.
Malaysia, Haiti and South Korea have attested to the reverence of the hibiscus at the highest level, choosing it as their national symbol. In the Philippines, a recipe for soap bubbles using crushed leaves is widespread, giving the liquid viscosity and plasticity. Hibiscus is widely used in African folk medicine as a bactericidal, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. A chilled hibiscus flower drink known as karcade has a sour taste, is a great thirst-quencher and has virtually no contraindications.
The simple care of the garden hibiscus gives this amazing plant a place of honor in the garden or in the flower bed at home. The flower of each species of garden hibiscus lives only one day and is a unique decoration whether it is a herbaceous, shrub or arboreal plant.
