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dragon_fly62

What could be wrong with my Hibiscus?

dragon-fly
14 years ago

I've had a single red Hibiscus for many years. In the past several monthes, or more, it has gotten very spindley on top (I should have cut it back before, but it blocks the low sun in the winter coming in my front window), there are no (or very few) leaves on old growth, but it does produce flowers. The woody stems look funny, and there are webs on some of them. I've seen the squirrels sitting on the thin branches, biting a flower off, holding it and turning it round and round, eating something at the green end, then dropping it and getting another. The bottom part of the bush looks green and nice.

I asked someone at Home Depot, and they said Midge. I looked up Midge here, and it doesn't sound like it, nor thrips; I just read of the buds dropping off for those. I am planning to tackle it tomorrow (Sunday), but now I am not sure it is Midge, nor what to do with it.

The HD people said to cut it back, cut all blooms and buds off, pick up every one of the fallen old and new flowers, and burn them or put in a garbage bag, seal it up and put it in the trash.

Does any one know what this could be, and how to get rid of it without using poison or a systemic thing?

Thank you for any help.

Comments (3)

  • hybridsage
    14 years ago

    Dragonfly:
    Without a picture or sample it is going to be a little more
    difficult. Sounds like spider mites due to the webing that can also effect bloom cycles.No need to burn anything that
    was dismissed 20 years ago.Spray it then cut it back so your not dropping mites on to other plants.It would be a good idea to get a soil test done to see where your N-P-K
    is. If you can find insecticidal Soap w/Sea Weed in it
    I have used that to kill off the little pest. You may
    want to treat the backside to see if the Hibiscus has
    a bad reaction to the soap. Sometime they do.
    Art

  • dragon-fly
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I have put up several far and close up pictures. It looks like I might have more than one problem, after looking at it with a magnifying glass. I saw a tiny black spider, and a bigger longish brown bug. When I came in, I found a larger light grey or light brown spider running down my arm (I brushed it off so fast, I'm not sure of the color!); I was around but not touching the hibiscus, but was cutting off spent rose blooms, and near my orange trees, too. (And it is a double red, not single.) Please look at the link below for some good pictures of it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Problem Hibiscus

  • angie_in_houston
    14 years ago

    I also have a problem with a hibiscus tree I just bought from Lowe's. It looked great for a week or two, and then we had a really big rain and the leaves started wilting, and before I knew it, they all fell off and there is nothing left to the tree. I realized the pot that the tree is planted in did not have any drain holes, so we immediately drilled holes in the bottom of the pot, and replaced the soil in case it was mildewed. It has been about 2 weeks since then, and the treee is still not coming back, even though it has gotten plenty of water and sun. I don't think it's completely dead because when I scratch beneath the surface, I see green. I don't know what else to do.

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