hello everyone,

i have been coming across this particular forum a lot when i do google searches for information and i thought i would join as it seems there is a wealth of knowledgeable people here =) i am relatively new to the world of plants.

i recently purchased a small hibiscus plant and i am growing more and more worried about it. first off, what i thought was one plant in a pot, seems to be about 3 small plants in one pot. there are leaves EVERYWHERE on this plant and they seem to be growing on top of each other in places. i have read this is an indication that the plant has received growth hormones and may not survive more than a few months. is this true?

also, i noticed that one of the individual plants has large lush deep red flowers, while the other two plants seem to have small, more faded out flowers.

this plant seems distressed to me, although it has bloomed a lot. the leaves almost look like they are crowded and i am wondering what i should do with this plant. should i prune off some of the leaves that are growing lower on the stalk? should i separate the plants into different pots? any information anyone can give me is greatly appreciated!