Here are the pics. There is Hibiscus by the door then Night Blooming Jasmine with Red Oleandder behind it and then more Hibiscus. I want to shape the Hibiscus into hedges just below the windows. I want to cut the Jasmine back to somewhat of a hedge to allow for seeing the Oleander, if it isn't ate up with Oleander Cats. I was thinkning of putting Liriope around the Palms and Yellow Lantana in front of the hibiscus to tie in color of the house and block view of leggy hibiscus. Any ideas? Suggestions? Thanks. Cliff

A look at the Hibiscus.

Side view as you walk up to front door.

Look overall of Front "boring" Landscape. I have Pink Mandevilla Planted at base of the Wrought Iron. Do I need to tie a string to them to the iron to get them going? They have been there for 2 months now. You can barely see it.

Yes, you can prune them back. But they are a big bush, 8 to 10 feet and they will need constant pruning. You are right the owner made a poor choice putting them there. The branches that are against the house I would take off completely at ground level. :)

Maybe the owner would let you move them to another spot and plant something more low growing there.

I have severly cut back several hibiscuses in my yard and they always bounce right back....the flowers even look better after a nice hard prune.

I was thinking of cutting the Hibiscus and Jasmine to ground level. The hibiscus will come back fuller? Easier to keep as a hedge like shape? Where the Jasmine and Oleander are I wouldv'e put a 3 trunk Adonidia or a Bird of Paradise or Traveler Palm. Maybe I should bring up some of those Crotons that are in the back. There are around 12 or 13 of them. Getting big.
If I take cuttings of them, any ideas as to when I could see roots?

Thanks.Cliff

hi Cliff,

while the hibiscus will come back fuller from a hard pruning, if you trim it to keep it in a medium shrub, you will be cutting off the flower buds on a regular basis. Can you root some of the cuttings first (just in case) then try to relocate it? Or is there anyway to re-train it into a standard? I've got a couple of hibiscus that I'm working on turning into standards...the taller things are, the more room for underplantings!

That's an idea too.
Thanks Helen.

Do Hibiscus cutings root easily??

Cliff

Hibiscus do root easily, but wannarun is right. Keeping the larger ones trimmed too severely will mean very few blooms, as they bloom on OLD wood. So the new growth that pops out after pruning will not develop buds for a season. And then you'll be ready to trim it back again. You'll have a pruning cycle going that never allows for it to really bloom. Moving them is a much better option, if you can. (Or training as standards would work, as well.)

I think they were the wrong choice for underneath a window, and you'd be so much happier if you put them elsewhere and get something that stays low enough for you.

Good luck, whatever you try!
Marcia

Hi again Cliff,

for me, for whatever reason, I have the most success rooting "tips" ...cuttings that are only about 5 or 6 inches long and with all leaves removed except the distal 2.

I think I'm going to have to get rid of my nana's...an iguana has taken up residence in my backyard and eats them before I get a chance to. I'm afraid he will end up hanging around and eating everything else too. I'll try to pot some up for you and dig up some musafolia for you.

Helen,
That's a bummer! I'd love some Nanna's and the Canna. Thanks.

Cliff

I just took 12 cuttings of Double Peach and Single Red. If they take they will be spending the Summer in North Carolina. I sent my Mom 5 boxes of stuff today. Like Christmas for her. LOL I get my Greenthumb from her side of the family.

I've found the area where the washer empties water and it overflows is a great area to root Angel Trumpet so I thought I would try Hibiscus there since everyone suggests it to be easy to root.. LOL
Tropcialfreak

I've also had the best luck with rooting only the tips.
Presently, I have a few different colors almost ready for the ground...just need to decide where to plant them.

Hibiscus responds well to gentle pruning, I've found, but like WRF said, you will be cutting off the blooms, however, they'll re-bloom, so not-to-worry. LOL

Due to our horrendous drought, mine suffered badly!
They grew spindly but TALL!

Here's a before and an after...a span of about 3 weeks.
As you can see, they are re-blooming, but they still need some tweaking as far as shaping goes.

This is the plant to the far right in the above shot.

Good luck!

The first gardening book I got when I move to Fl said to prune hibiscus hard the end of Feb then lightly when needed through out the year. Hard meaning about 1 ft off the ground. I did this the first few years, but for some reason stopped, but I think mine looked the best then. By this time of the year they were full and bushy again and blooming. I don't know that everyone will agree with this method, it is just what I read. Also I pruned the hibiscus trees hard at that time, meaning the limbs were pruned to a foot off the part of the trunk where they started to spread.