Light green foliage

17 years ago

I have several hibiscus. It is one of the primary food sources of my desert tortoises. If i didnt have the tortoise i would probably still have hibiscus. If i had land, i would plant an orchard even. I know some love roses, i do enjoy the hibsicus and the birds delight in them. I only have four simple one. Nothing fancy, but would love some that are. Ok let me get to the point.

I have a white hibiscus with red pistol and stamens. It has been getting yellowish green foliage and losing the oldest leaves. Flowers are as vibrant or full of life as they were. I read in another posting about spider mite and was wondering if that might be what it was. It was planted within 3 or 4 feet from another hibiscus, (wrong) i learned. I should have planted it further away. (have lots of transplanting to do this winter (zone 10) to get these (4) hibiscus farthr apart from each other. I did cut back nearly every branch to about 1 foot of the ground. It was about 4 feet tall. If i transplant it now, will it die becuase i already cut it back and it doesnt need any more UGH done to it. It should regain its strength right?

Also rose of sharon is a hibiscus right?

If so it is getting tall, and the limbs are falling over like a weeping willow tree. Can i cut this ROS back to half of its hight?

THANK YOU

Comments (4)

birdsnblooms
17 years ago
Nicole, your hib could have mites, or lack of iron..If you suspect pests, look over the entire plant and check for webbing. Mites weave fine webbing similiar to the house spider but finer.
BTW, there are other bugs hibs can get like mealy. White cottony patches. Inspect the plant and look for anything that shouldn't be there.
Over and Under-watering causes leaves to yellow too..You want the soil to dry between waterings; Hibs do not like wet feet.
If veins are a deep green and leaf is yellow it could be a mineral defincincy. If this is the case, add iron.
Yes, Rose of Sharon is in the Hib family..If given full sun it shouldn't weep. A warning about ROS..I don't know if it's seed or cuttings, but I've got them growing everywhere..LOL. When this happens pluck at an early age..or they'll take over and they're really hard to lift.
I don't envy you right now..digging up hibs..they make look bad at first, but should do fine after time. You'll have to dig deep to get all the roots though..Toni
bill66
17 years ago
I have the same yellow leaf problem. Everyone elses bushes are blooming. Last winter I really watered it (That may be part of the problem this year). The veins are dark green but the leaf is yellowish. Where can I get Iron and how much do you use.. Last week, a nursery fellow said put on sulpher.. He gave me a cup or so and I scratched it into the soil under the bush.. Thanks in advance, Bill
birdsnblooms
17 years ago
Bill, if the veins on your hib leaves are more pronounced, than it definatly sounds like an iron defincency..You can use either Iron sulfate or Iron Chelate. Both work fine.
Home Depot carries one or the other so you can start there..if you can't find it locally, then I'd start looking online.
www.homeharvest.com may sell it..I buy other items from them..they're fast and not overpriced like some nurseries.

As far as the dossage, it's best reading and following container directions..I don't want to give you an amount w/o knowing what you're going to use..Actually, some plants need iron 3 times a yr as a preventative..it's best not to wait until it's too late..do you know what I mean? Toni
nicolenanette
Original Author
17 years ago
thank you, i already cut it back, but do believe it was mites. I have 5 hibiscus and that one was the only one that looked pathetic. Thank you!