Hibiscus care: 5 tips for the perfect flowering
With good care, hibiscus blooms intensively and beautifully.
But the mallow plant is demanding. With these tips your mallow will cut a good figure all year round.
The flower of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Curacao' presents itself like a summer cocktail
the Chinese marshmallow (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), also called rose mallow,
is one of the most popular indoor and tub plants. With its colorful splendor and elegant growth,
the rose mallow transforms every terrace into an exotic oasis of flowers.
Its large funnel-shaped flowers are available in white, yellow, orange, pink and red with various color gradients.
Especially fascinating are the stuffed varieties, which are,
however, somewhat more delicate than the simple varieties.
Here you will find the most important tips for hibiscus care at a glance.
Tip 1: The right location
For the cold-sensitive Chinese marshmallow, the usual room temperatures are just right.
Therefore, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis thrives very well in the room or conservatory.
As a sun-loving beauty, the rose marshmallow stands best in a bright place directly by the window.
However, full midday sun at the height of summer can be too much of a good thing.
In warm places on the balcony or terrace you can also care for the hibiscus outside during the summer.
Then the hibiscus needs a protected place, especially against rain,
because the filigree blossoms suffer a lot when they are very wet.
The hibiscus should also be placed outside as brightly as possible,
but not for hours in the blazing sun.
A place in the sun: a bright south window is the right place for the hibiscus
Tip 2: Planting and transplanting hibiscus
Hibiscus is demanding in terms of care and requires consistently fresh, nutrient-rich soil.
The substrate should be well-drained, as hibiscus is more comfortable in light dry conditions than wet feet.
It is advisable to mix a little sand into the potting soil to make it more permeable.
The pH value may be both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline.
Repotting is best done in spring, when the old pot is completely rooted through.
If the plant is not to grow any larger, only the substrate is renewed
for plant care and the hibiscus is put back into its old plant pot.
Tip 3: Pruning stimulates the flowering
The rose mallow is cut into shape with scissors in spring.
If you cut your hibiscus regularly, this will promote branching and increase the abundance of flowers.
To do this, shorten the previous year's shoots slightly and lighten the plant slightly if necessary.
If you want to grow your hibiscus as a high stem,
you must cut away the side branches of the young plant so that only the main shoot develops.
When the desired final height is reached, the tip is cut off.
The middle main shoot is then tied to a pole so that it serves as an extension of the trunk.
The direct side shoots on the outside become the new stem crown.
For dense branching, these branches must be regularly shortened.
This way you will get a beautiful, compact, spherical crown over the years.
If the hibiscus plant is over-aged and lazy in flower due to poor care,
a rejuvenating cut of the flower will help it to blossom again.
To do this, cut all branches to different heights (maximum 50 centimeters)
and lighten the plant so that it can grow again.
Caution: After a radical rejuvenation cut, the next flower will fall out.
In return, the plant is all the more vital the following year.
Tip 4: Water and fertilize hibiscus generously
When caring for hibiscus, you need a little bit of tact,
because the plant is quickly offended when neglected and reacts by shedding leaves and flowers.
During the flowering phase, the rose mallow is very thirsty.
During this time, it should be watered daily, but care should be taken to avoid waterlogging.
Therefore, when choosing a pot, it is important to ensure that the water is well drained.
Excess water must be removed from cachepots and saucers.
If the hibiscus is too dry, it also reacts sensitively and throws off its flowers.
During the growing season in spring, good hibiscus care includes a weekly application of liquid fertilizer,
because leaf and flower growth requires a lot of energy.
Tip 5: Hibiscus care in winter
During the winter months the indoor hibiscus may stand a few degrees cooler than in summer,
for example in the bedroom. Tub plants from the terrace and balcony should be
brought into the winter quarters as soon as the outdoor thermometer shows below twelve degrees Celsius at night.
Check your hibiscus for pest infestation before wintering and remove all wilted leaves and twigs.
If the plant is too large, it can already be cut back easily.
In a cool (16 to 18 degrees Celsius is optimal) but bright place, for example in a cool winter garden,
the freshly tended rose mallow awaits the next summer.
Attention: A little leaf fall in the winter quarters is normal.
But if the hibiscus loses a lot of leaves, it stands too dark.
Watering is reduced during the winter months.
The root ball should not dry out completely.
Fertilizer application is completely stopped during the resting phase.
The garden marshmallow (Hibiscus syriacus) is moderately hardy, but can grow into a lush plant in a mild climate
For the all-year planting in the bed only the garden hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus)
or the rarer giant hibiscus (Hibiscus x moscheutos) are suitable in our widths.
But even these frost-resistant species should be given winter protection in the form of mulch and a covering fleece.
Winter-hard Hibiscus species in a tub can be wintered outside.
Then the pot should be moved close to the house wall
and the root ball should be protected from freezing through with a warming cover.
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