For someone who loves flowers and wants to know how to properly care for them, any information and advice from experienced gardeners is important. Very many novice “flower growers” wonder why the leaves of the hibiscus turn yellow.
At the moment, there are many encyclopedias and web resources, where it is written about how to grow a flower without harming the same. Now you do not have to get lost in the guesswork and listen to the advice of wise grandmothers, who contradict themselves. That’s why all the important nuances will be discussed further. So, to begin with, you need to understand what is a hibiscus indoor and what features of care it has.
Hibiscus – flower of the East
The tropical roots of this plant gave it an unusual nickname, popularly referred to as the “indoor rose. This flower is widespread and has about 300 species. However, it is not possible to grow them all in room conditions. True, there are a few that are adapted for home cultivation.
Hibiscus has a very different structure and characteristics: it grows as a bush, and can be herbaceous. Some drop their leaves, while others, on the contrary, bloom all year round. The flowers of this plant are also very diverse in structure and color.
Domesticated species include such species:
- Hibiscus chinensis or Chinese rose. The bush grows all year round and can reach a height greater than human height. Flowering occurs for 8-9 months out of the whole year, and the inflorescences themselves grow up to 15 cm. This species is used as an ornamental.
- Hybrid. It is an herbaceous species that grows for many years. Its peculiarity and advantage are the flowers of different colors. In hot countries it is grown right outside.
- Dissected-petaled species. The shrub attracts attention with its fiery red or orange flowers (about 5-7 cm in diameter) and beautiful glossy leaves.
- The Syrian hibiscus has red or pink flowers.
The flower is quite unpretentious and there are no special requirements for its care. Therefore it is very fond of growing even people who are not particularly deep into the subject of gardening. But often, when growing this plant, the question arises: why do hibiscus leaves turn yellow and fall off, as well as what to do in such situations.
It is important to understand that the leaves fall off and turn yellow for a reason. It means that the flower is under stress.
Causes are completely different, but it reacts to any of them in the same way. Therefore, if even one leaf has fallen off, you need to take immediate action to get rid of the yellowing problem.
How to care for hibiscus
Many experts have long studied this problem and have identified several major factors as to why a leaf turns yellow in this flower. All of them are important and the failure of each can have a significant harm to the health of the plant. To make the leaves get healthier you need to adhere to all the conditions for normal growth of the plant.
There are the following factors that affect the flower:
- Proper Watering. When it is spring or summer outside and the thermometer shows a temperature above 20 degrees Celsius, you need to ensure that the soil in the pot is constantly moist. It is advisable to water the plant every day, but in no case water it. The soil must not dry out. If the hibiscus leaves turn yellow, you need to spray it every day in hot weather, and in winter reduce the number of irrigations of the leaves to once a week. It should be remembered that heating devices dry the air and therefore the flower is better to put away from them. For watering, use only settled water at room temperature.
- Excessive moisture. During the cold season, you should be very careful that the soil in the vase does not turn into a swamp. This requires careful watering of the plant. It is desirable to do this at the same time in equal portions. The volume of liquid is calculated based on the behavior of the flower. Hibiscus is very fond of water, but if a cold bog forms in the root area, it can get sick. If the plant has taken in a lot of cold water, it will not be able to grow properly.
- Sunlight. An abundance of sunlight is strongly discouraged for the flower. This can lead not only to the yellowing of the leaves, which gained sunlight, but also to serious burns of the flower. It is recommended to put hibiscus in the sun only in the morning, when it is not so burned by its rays.
- Lack of light. As you know since biology class, no plant can do without chlorophyll, which is only produced by light. If this light is insufficient, the leaves of the hibiscus will start to fall out and turn yellow until the level of greening matches the level of light received. In case the hibiscus has yellowing leaves, it is likely to be assumed that a lack of light is the cause.
- Temperature regimen. Since the plant has tropical roots, it should in no case be overcooled. True, overheating is also not good for the flower. The optimum temperature is 18 degrees to 30 degrees above zero.
- Pests. Hibiscus is very susceptible to attack by spider mites. If traces of them are found, it is necessary to take a magnifying device and have a good look at the surface of the whole flower. The clues indicating the appearance of pests are small crab-like spots on tired leaves, as well as small cobwebs on the entire surface of the flower. Parasites can quickly enough destroy the plant, so it is necessary to take measures very urgently. It is quite difficult to remove them, but it is quite possible. Specialists recommend using special means, which are sold in flower stores or on the Internet. In addition, you can treat the leaves and trunk 2-3 times a day with soap and water. The treatment process is very long, but with regular treatment, the pests will surely leave it forever.
Soil care
Any soil in which a flower grows can change its composition. Especially if watering does not follow all the rules or if tap water is used. In this case, the hibiscus does not turn yellow completely, but partially. If the composition of trace elements in the soil is unstable, for example, when one vitamin is more than necessary, and another – less, the leaves also become yellow. Such a problem is solved by adjusting the composition with fertilizers or changing the acidity of the soil.
Fertilizer in favor of
Too frequent use of harmful pesticides can cause problems for the plant. If it becomes necessary to treat the hibiscus with fertilizer, it should be done at the same time and every day. It is important to use only a product from a proven company and not to change the product. Using a phosphate-based fertilizer can provide increased flowering, but when using superphosphates, it is easy to cause the plant to die. Nitrogen-based products should not be used in high doses.
If blackened edges appear on the leaves of the Chinese rose, then you should stop the treatment immediately, as this indicates acid burn.
After two weeks of rest, you can try adding this fertilizer to the irrigation water again, but the dosage should be half as much as before. It is important to observe the behavior of the leaves and increase the dosage little by little.
After this information, most beginning gardeners should not have to ask, “Why are the leaves turning yellow on the hibiscus”. The main thing is to love the flower and take all necessary measures to keep it safe.
