White Wings Hibiscus - is it dead?

14 years ago

Hi all,

I got a yellowing white wings hibiscus (they were going to throw it out) about a month ago that I wanted to try and bring back. I re-potted it into a larger pot and watered it, but the leaves kept yellowing and falling off. Ultimately I think I ended up over watering it, and the sticks/branches went brown and dry. I gave it up for lost and left it alone for about 3 weeks on the back porch without water. I went to dig it out today to use the pot for another plant, and discovered the roots still seem to be "damp". The sticks/branches are still dry though; is there any hope that this plant might come back, or is it gone for good?

Thanks!

Comments (2)

summerbreezes
14 years ago
What is the soil mixture..and there is always hope..your hibiscus might just be presently in a dormant state due to shock,..Id make real sure your soil mix is good...perlite and moss for good drainage yet some moisture retention..there are also other soils that say they have a soil that retains moisture without basically remaining soaked..mixed with perlite and moss a good amt and a bit of mild food boost to it and then sun lots of sun...sit and be patient..trim back as u didnt say how much branch length there is but a trim may also help build strength to the plant ...remember a plant is only as strong and healthy as ITS ROOTS..so many forget this..even if bugs infest a plant ..if the roots are strong and healthy it will come back..good luck its worth the extra patience and better soil.
alan_loves_hibiscus
14 years ago
Hibiscus don't like wet feet or too much moisture in the soil. Otherwise, they will die or root rot. That's guaranteed.

As summerbreezes mentioned, add perlite to your soil medium. Perlite will easily drain water in seconds. But in the summer months you need to mulch your plant to lock in moisture. If you are using garden soil, your perlite should not be less than 20%. For me this is enough, but for some people they prefer 30% (70% soil medium + 30% perlite).

If your plant does not survive, graft its branches so you can grow it again. Check out Wally Morgan's website on grafting hibiscus.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wally Morgan's Website on Grafting Hibiscus