My Hibiscus is TINY!!! Not even close to being able to bloom (gotta love this cool NY Summer) Geesh Token, once again you are killing me with all your pretty blooms!

Dawn

I've not been able to make stunning -- or even interesting -- displays with hibiscus. The orange one that someone gave me is just planted where there was a space.

I had a beautiful Hau hibiscus (Talipariti tiliaceum) 'Tricolor' that Janie shared with me. It lived through the first winter, failed to return the second. Shy bloomers in temperate climates and actually hardy only to zone 9b according to my book.

I had some others from seed that were great their first year. Dark cranberry color, just beautiful. They are water hogs, I gave up. Can't find the pics.

Nell

I love them all. I like how they accent the beds, standing out because of their size and the huge blooms.

I use mine just like shrubs. They get about 4-5 feet tall and the blooms are almost dinner plate size too. I started them all from seeds and rarely water them.

I see something likes to eat yours too! The Japanese Beetles are working on mine.

I love the red ones but I am betting they are not moscheutos.

I am going to move the one in the HB bed. It is so large it blocks the view from the kitchen window of the bird bath.

I think the elm tree that fell across the back of the garden did away with the row that was out there and that is where the pure white one was. Drat!

I think I like them more than Rose of Sharon, but they seem very different to me so I don't really compare them.

Are your shorter ones the Disco Belle series?

I will take a couple of pictures later when the sun comes up.

We are waiting for enough daylight to check the garden and trap for the beast that is eating my tomatoes and damaging the melons!

Token, your first picture looks to be 'Moy Grande'. I love that one! Also, I have a similar one, called 'Cranberry Punch'. It needs more sun, but does manage to bloom- a lot!

I have put in a whole new bed of hibiscus this year. Several yellow, orange, pink, red, and white/rose/purple exotics such as your 'Turn of the Century'.

I attended a seminar on hibiscus a month or so ago, and was surprised to find that hibiscus prefer being inconvenienced in hot weather. So if you have one to move, such as my pink saucer, NOW is the time to do it! Finding the time is something entirely different.

Also, I was surprised to learn that the fertilizers with the high middle number are not good for your hibiscus. Rather, they want a low middle number, and bloom very happily on it, too!

O.K., I am quitting. LOL

Janie

Mine are all hibiscus moscheutos raised from seed.

I don't water or give them any special care. The one in the middle of the HB bed may have to be moved; it keeps me from seeing the birdbath from the kitchen window.............or I may just move the birdbath!

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and the one next to the house,

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and this is a seedling that came up this year. Them stem is redder and the bloom is richer and darker,

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Mine are so big, I just use them like shrubs. Will have tons of seeds this year.

glenda

OK, What a beautiful thread. Making me green eyed. I grew a couple of Rose of Sharons for years, always had to trim out about 1-2' of winter dieback. One spring, garden guy got too heavy handed, or should I say heavy loppered, and cut them back too far. That was the end of them.
I replaced them multiple times and never got any as hardy again. Oh well, that's gardening. Now I can see better out the window--only place I had enough sun in a garden space.
Here in the north, I have tried bringing in hibiscus, but always ended up with a few bugs.The LAST time it was a real infestation of white flies in my conservatory. I had no idea they would actually bite. I had to have pros take care of them.

I've also tried multiple hardy hibiscus, but they are such late risers that they get pulled or hoed or whatever, so I never see them the second year. Gave up after a few years of that. I will say they were ostentatious blooms about the size of a plate, so it's just as well.

Now, I have pots guarding the front step. I bought this unique unknown plant that had almost Japanese maple-like burgandy leaves with a touch of apricot and about a 2" solid burgandy bloom hidden in the spase foliage. Had to have it cuz of its unique foliage and bloom. Turned out to be a hibiscus. It's really too large for the arrangement, but have to see what it will do in the end.
Isn't that the fun part of gardening--experimenting, studying and of course alway a new love? chuckle
gramma jan

OK Your pink hi. is to die for. I also love that little bright blue flower with the white throat that looks like some type of petunia maybe. What is it? Do you grow it from seed? TIA
gramma jan

Gosh these pictures are beautiful. Would anyone be willing to share some seeds. I have a large yard and it had no flowers.
I started making beds this year. I want to do a lot next year.
Thanks,
Patsey

midway, i have some seeds from my peppermint scnapps hibisucus if you or anyone wants some. email me thru my member page! :)

Gorgeous!

Mine started off great this year then the buds all dried up. I tried keeping them watered, but either I didn't do it enough or they had a bug. I read about a little bug that can get in the bloom and have that effect. It was also hot as hades here this year, so not sure what the culprit was.

Rose of Sharon... It seems weird to me when people actually BUY rose of sharon. They grow like a weed on my property. I have left quite a few around, but am always attacking the seedlings to keep them under control. My entire yard would be one big rose of sharon plant if I let it. :-D

Beautiful Hibiscus flowers everyone!
I have two kinds of white (one is Texas Star), both grown from seed, and a Luna Red that I bought three or four years ago in a little container. Boy do they get tall and the flowers are humongous! In mid-August, I found a large-flowering pink on sale and I bought it. I don't know it's name. It is more of a salmon pink or dusky rose (whichever might be closer in color??). I payed two bucks for it and it is five feet tall in a three gallon container. It was a really great deal.

I too have to move my Luna Red or hack back the Redbud tree that is shaded it too much this year. Only got half of the normal blooms and it finished blooming way too early. It usually blooms all through summer, but not this year. Too much shade, dang it. The tree's canopy has spread so much that it is shading more than half of that flowerbed now. I think the latter is my choice of action, don't you?

I have the Luna Red planted in a pink & white bed, and the Pink one is in a red and blue/purple bed. There are yellow and peach accents in both areas. The contrasts are lovely. Hope the pink one winters over okay.

Thanks for sharing everyone.
~Annie