Free Hibiscus Plants

This article is written by Nirmita Jain.

Hibiscus, belonging to the genus Malvaceae, is a pretty dainty flowering plant. The flowers come in a plethora of colours: white, red, pink, orange, yellow and purple. The oval, palm and spear-shaped leaves are as pretty and varied as the flowers. The plant size is influenced by the variety and the growing conditions, but generally they shoot up to a height of 4ft.

Hibiscus are the perfect adornment for your garden, lounge area or the personal room. Hibiscus flowers are known for their vibrant pop of colour and will light up any ambience.

Ensuring proper and lush growth of Hibiscus is not a taxing task. Just follow some simple guidelines and you have a green, fresh and vibrant Hibiscus plant before you even know it.

Foliage : The leaves are ovate, palm, spear or lanceolate shaped. The leaves have alternate arrangements along with lobed or toothed margins. Hibiscus have a multitude of variants grown globally.

Hibiscus coccineus, grown extensively in the US, has 6-inches long, green, and pristine leaves. Also grown in the US , Hibiscus syriacus has 4-inch long palm-shaped leaves. From the continent of Europe, we have Hibiscus trionum with 3-inches long, dark green leaves with coarse teeth at the margins. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, also known as Chinese Hibiscus, has the characteristic oval-shaped, dark green leaves.

Growing : Hibiscus plants need good amount of sunlight to flourish and must be kept near the windows during spring or winter time. However, during too harsh, hot or dry weather keep the plant under shade as dehydration can wither the plant.

Height : This parameter depends heavily on the variant but generally the height of the plant doesn’t exceed 4-ft. This plant doesn’t grow exponentially and is easy to manage and tame in the household.

Watering : You need to water the plant profusely and abundantly using the initial blooming stages. This facilitates freshness in the leaves, bright coloration in the flowers and the strong stalk. This amount can be reduced gradually as don’t much water can drown the plant. In dry conditions, add a little buffer water. During winters, only water when needed and if the soil is dry upon touching.

Feeding : Due to replenished soil nutrient content, it’s necessary to outsource all the essential nutrients to ensure prolific and lish growth of the plant. During summers, it’s advisable to use a potassium rich fertilizer. You can use a diluted version of the fertilizer once a week or add potassium rick manure or compost to the soil. During winters, fertilizers are required as the plant uses its reserves for growth during the dormant phase.

Temperature : Hibiscus flourishes in the range of 60-90 F(16-32 C). They wither at low temperatures and die at 32 F(0 C). They do comparatively well in warmer temperatures than in cooler ones.

Propagation : The most common and advisable way of propagation is through cutting as the offspring is the exact replica of the parent plant. Cuttings must be extracted from new growth or unmatured green soft wood and 4-6 inches long. Leave the top leaves and trim the bottom below the leaf node. After dipping the bottom in rooting hormone, pot the plant in irrigated soil. Cover using a plastic sheath. Repot the plant once significant growth has taken place.

Uses : Hibiscus is a wonderful plant for landscaping ang garden décor. They bring a variety of colours that meets the eyes and bring a sense of tranquility to the soul. They are also the perfect potted plant for the living space.

Hibiscus is widely used in paper making and mache techniques for its vibrant and bright colours.

Hibiscus has made it’s name in the culinary world as well. It is employed to make a healthy scarlet red coloured tea. This tea is served hot as well as cold around the globe and is famous for its high Vitamin C content. Mexican delicacies are incomplete without a Hibiscus flower. The flower graces the dishes as a vegetable candy, and garnish. Hibiscus has made a mark in the historic Avuryeda due to blood pressure controlling ability and medicinal properties.