Trop hib - OK to prune to bring indoors?

16 years ago

The trop-hibiscus.com website's page regarding growing trop hib in northern climates recommended pruning overwintered trop hib in the spring before putting back out.

My mom has two tropical hib in pots on her deck that they bring in each winter and keep in front of a sliding glass door with her other brought-in plants, so it gets light but not direct sunlight. She is wondering if she can prune her hib back now to conserve space, and if so how far can she go. I don't think they're huge, certainly not 5 feet, but I'm going on memory and that can be iffy. ;-)

Thanks for any advice.

Terri

Comments (3)

tombob
16 years ago
I, too, need to know about this. We have a potted hibiscus with the intertwined trunk that my wife bought at Sam's years ago. It has grown a great deal this summer and I need to know if I can prune it before bringing it inside this winter.
User
16 years ago
Yes, you can prune it to bring in indoors.
Be sure to spray it down real good with a little dawn and water in a spray bottle though, to kill bugs before bringing in.
They are technically not going to go dormant, so if you want it to stay smaller, don't water it as often, just mist it for humidity and don't fertilize it very much or it will regrow inside.
I am in zone 6 and my tropical hibs love full sun right in front of a south facing window.(not indirect sun).
Happy wintering and see ya in the spring!
seems so long in the future.
roflol
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the info, butterfly4u! Is there any guidance on how far they can prune, or *how* to prune so they don't ruin it?

Yep, March/April looks so far away. I'm glad I found wintersowing and garden junk making to keep me a little bit busy for those non-growing months! I don't keep much inside, my house is apparently a spider mite factory. ;-)