Tropical, sun-loving hibiscus bushes produce large, beautiful flowers with a recognizable, conspicuous stamen. To cultivate them, you don’t have to reside in Florida or California. They can be grown outdoors in temperate climates during the summer and enjoyed as houseplants inside during the winter. All the details you require to grow these plants inside are provided here!
Hibiscus plants—can they be left outside?
You recently purchased a tropical hibiscus, and now that fall has here and winter is quickly approaching, you’re not sure what to do with it. Fear not, I’ve been there! I used to bring my favorite hibiscus inside and outside every year when I was living in Iowa. You can succeed if I can. How? Read on!
Keep Hibiscus Indoors During the Winter First off, you’ll need to move your hibiscus indoors to protect it over the winter if you reside in a region where temperatures often dip below 50F (10C). Being tropical plants, they can’t withstand exposure to below-freezing conditions. (However, a hardy hibiscus, which you may find in the perennials area of your neighborhood garden center, can survive the winter outdoors. It will enter dormancy in fall, rest throughout the winter, and then begin to grow again in the late spring, with flowers appearing in the summer.
Before winter, learn how to bring hibiscus indoors. The good news is that bringing your tropical hibiscus indoors before winter is rather simple. Simply carry out these easy steps.
First, trim the stems of your tropical hibiscus. Take out up to 25% of the new growth. You won’t have to spend much time cleaning up a lot of yellow, fallen leaves by taking this simple step (this naturally happens as a result of shock when the plant goes from indoors to out). Even if there will still be some falling leaves, there is no need for alarm. It’s entirely normal.
After cutting back your hibiscus, you can move the entire pot inside if it is potted. Dig up your plant if it has been growing in the ground, then put it in a container. Use potting soil specifically designed for container plants. Additionally, avoid using garden soil at all costs. While garden soil works well for growing plants outside, it doesn’t drain well indoors. It may also encourage pests to enter by hitchhiking.
Optional: Speaking of pests, if you’d like to deter them from entering your home, give your hibiscus a prophylactic treatment or two. Insecticidal soap and neem oil are popular sprays that are safe to use on a plant you are bringing indoors. Find out more about protecting tropical plants before winter.
Indoor Winter Hibiscus Care The most important thing to understand about hibiscus plant care is that it prefers light. In actuality, it likes light, not just a lot of it. Because of this, your plant will thrive at a prominent location inside your house. Have a large, bright window? Bingo! Another option is a sizable patio door. not enough daylight? You’re in luck since hibiscus will thrive in the wintertime when grown under a shop or plant light. (Tip: An effective, traditional store light will do; there’s no need to spend a lot of money on a fancy, pricey plant light. I’ve always used that.) Your hibiscus will be happy in the winter if you give it more light.
When the top inch or two of the potting mix feels dry to the touch, water your hibiscus (just like you would any other houseplant). I’ve always discovered, and I’m willing to bet you will as well, that hibiscus demand a lot less water indoors throughout the winter than they did when you were growing your plant outdoors. Thankfully, that makes maintaining it simpler! I ended up watering my Tropic Escape hibiscus once a week or so when I brought it inside for the winter. However, a number of elements, such as how hot or cold your home is, the humidity levels, the size of your hibiscus, the size of its pot, the type of potting mix, etc., will affect the precise frequency you’ll be watering.
Note: During the winter, keep your hibiscus away from both warm and cold drafts. This contains vents for heating. Hot (or cold) air bursts can create brown or fading foliage.
More positive news You shouldn’t stress over it. Let your hibiscus enjoy a peaceful winter’s nap. You can wait until spring, around March, when the days (finally!) start to get longer.
Seasonal Flowering Although I detest to say it, don’t count on flowers during the winter. Since your plant is dormant and may not have enough light to flower unless it is located in an extremely sunny area, you probably won’t see many. My plant only produced three or four blossoms each winter while I maintained it in my dining room in Iowa, a few feet from a north-facing bay window.
By the way, don’t worry if your plant does produce buds but you see that they are falling off. This also makes sense. In response to stress, hibiscus are infamous for losing their flower buds (such as being grown inside).
Thus, a little forethought, a sunny location, and routine watering are all that are required to bring your tropical hibiscus inside for the winter.
A hibiscus plant grows either indoors or outdoors.
Outdoor plants that grow in tropical and subtropical climates are known as hibiscus plants. In warm, temperate climes, though, hibiscus plants also thrive as houseplants. Hibiscus come in hundreds of different types, and with the right care, they can all bloom indoors.
Where should hibiscus plants be planted?
Hardy Be patient because hibiscus takes a while to bloom in cold springs or in the early summer. Hardy Hibiscus thrives in direct sunlight. Although they will still grow, their ability to expand and flower will be compromised. Hibiscus may require shade during the hottest part of the day if you are in a location with particularly hot summers. Planting hibiscus should be done alongside or behind perennial flower beds.
Can hibiscus be grown indoors?
Every indoor plant has its optimal location where it will flourish. Hibiscus prefers to be close to a light window so they may get as much sunlight as possible. Your home’s sunniest window is the ideal location for them. Less sunlight won’t kill them, but they might not flower.
Are hibiscus plants sun-sensitive?
Always water hibiscus with warm water is the first rule of hibiscus maintenance. Instead of using the hose’s cold water to water your plants, fill a watering can with warm tap water (but not too hot; you don’t want to burn your hibiscus). Hibiscus plants require frequent watering during the hot summer months, but it’s crucial to make sure their soil has sufficient drainage to prevent the roots from becoming soggy. While garden hibiscus only requires watering every other day or so, container hibiscus should be watered daily. Wait until the soil is completely dry before watering your hibiscus again if you are overwintering it inside.
Hibiscus plants enjoy a lot and a lot of sunlight! The better they will bloom, the more direct sunlight. Aim for 8 or more hours per day of direct sunlight. If you’re planting your hibiscus in the garden, make sure it’s in a position that isn’t going to get shadowed by tall trees or a nearby fence since, while they can occasionally take a little partial shade, the blossoms won’t be quite as frequent or impressive. Keep an eye on your container plants to ensure they’re flourishing in the location you’ve chosen for them. As we’ve previously noted, one of the advantages of a container hibiscus is that you can move it about to ensure it’s getting enough sun.
How can hibiscus be kept indoors?
When kept indoors for the winter, even in a sunny area, potted hibiscus lose leaves and become infected with little white pests, despite the fact that they thrive in the summer on my sunny deck. Each summer, they bounce back, but how can I ensure that they survive the winter?
Answer:
When the outside and inside temperatures are the same, bring your hibiscus indoors. This lessens the shock of being moved on the plant. Spray it with a horticultural oil or soap before bringing it inside to get rid of hitchhiker insects. If necessary, prune it just enough to get it inside, but save the serious trimming for the first few weeks of spring.
Hibiscus should be kept indoors in good light with some regular exposure to sunshine. During the winter, when it sleeps a little bit, it prefers room temperatures that are cooler than usual—more like 55 degrees. During the wintertime period of rest, avoid fertilizing. Sparingly water the potting mix, but make sure to prevent it from drying out completely. Keep in mind that heat from indoors dries soil quickly.
Can hibiscus blossom in containers?
The spring is the ideal season to plant hibiscus in containers. You might want to think about keeping your tropical Hibiscus in a container all year if you intend to bring it inside for the winter. It can be difficult to go from the ground to the pot. The plant will experience less stress and will find it simpler to adjust to indoor life after a summer spent outdoors if it is grown in a container all year.
Most planters work well with hibiscus. Plastic is a wonderful choice because it is lightweight, and since the plant will probably get quite large, using a plastic container as its home may make it simpler to transfer the plant. However, Hibiscus also looks great if you favor the style of terracotta and porcelain. Hibiscus can grow in any container as long as it has drainage holes and is a few inches bigger than the root ball.
How can I maintain my hibiscus?
Keep tropical hibiscus in a cool, dark area where the temperature stays around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, like a basement or an unheated garage. The hibiscus could prematurely break dormancy in response to warmth and sunlight. Tropical hibiscus don’t entirely hibernate, so they still need a little watering in the winter. Provide just enough moisture to prevent the soil from drying out completely. In order for the hibiscus to start breaking dormancy and putting on new growth in April, gradually increase watering and expose the plant to more sun and warmth.
Is it simple to grow hibiscus?
If you give hardy hibiscus plants well-drained soil and a location with direct sunlight, they are surprisingly simple to grow. Water your plants frequently enough to keep the soil evenly moist.
Although a general-purpose fertilizer will encourage rapid growth and enhance blooming, this plant doesn’t definitely need it.
If your sturdy hibiscus plants perish to the ground following an autumnal heavy frost, don’t be alarmed. Simply trim them back to a height of 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm), and once the weather starts to warm up again in the spring, the plants will reappear from the roots.
If your plants don’t appear at the first sign of spring, don’t assume they have died. Hardy hibiscus typically doesn’t appear until May or June, and then they catch up quickly with an abundance of blooms until September.
Hibiscus flowers’ lifespan is how long?
Although numerous new hybrids have been developed that now stay longer, even up to three days, the hibiscus flower still only lasts one day. Don’t take this negatively; many plants only bloom once a year for two or three weeks, after which you have to wait an entire year for them to blossom again.
How frequently should potted hibiscus be watered?
The soil around the hibiscus should be kept moist but not drenched. After planting, water the plants every day for the first week. Then, in the second week, water once every two days, and then, when it doesn’t rain, around twice a week. Water every other day if the climate gets particularly hot and dry. When watering hibiscus, avoid wetting the leaves because moist foliage can cause foliar diseases like mildew. 4
Can hibiscus be grown on a balcony?
One of the simplest plants to grow in balcony gardens is hibiscus. Hibiscus plants can be grown in containers. They are only mildly attention-seeking. But you must drink enough water.