Hibiscus plants are members of the Malva family. Countless hybrids have been created showing one or several colors in one hibiscus flower. Growing hibiscus plants is not difficult as long as some guidelines are followed.

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2.  Most of us are familiar with hibiscus flowers that
range in colors from red, yellow, pink, blue and
everything in between. The flowers are quite large
compared to other tropical flowers, ranging in size
from two to ten inches.
 Hibiscus plants are members of the Malva
family, Malvaceae. This plant family includes more
than 200 species of annual and perennial plants.

3.  The Hibiscus, in all colors and varieties, was the
State Flower of Hawaii until the 1920s. It was not
until 1988 that the yellow Hibiscus, Hibiscus
brackenridgei, which is native to Hawaii, was
officially adopted as the State Flower of Hawaii.
 Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands think that all the
beautiful hibiscus flowers which they observe on
the Islands are native to Hawaii. But this is not the
case.

4.  Chinese Hibiscus, also called Hibiscus rosa-
sinensis, is the hibiscus plant most commonly
grown as ornamental plant on the Islands. This is
the one so often associated with Hawaiian
flowers.

5.  In addition to the yellow Hibiscus, following is a
list of hibiscus plants native to the Hawaiian
Islands….
 Hibiscus arnottianus produces white flowers.
Hibiscus arnottianus is closely related to Hibiscus
waimeae. Both produce fragrant flowers, which is
a unique characteristic for hibiscus flowers.
 Hibiscus brackenridgei produces showy, bright
yellow flowers. This yellow hibiscus can grow to
be over 30 feet in height. Hibiscus brackenridgei
is closely related to Hibiscus divaricatus.

6.  Hibiscus clayi is a small tree found in its natural
habitat on the Island of Kauai. It produces bright
red flowers.
 Hibiscus furcellatus, a pink flowered hibiscus
plant, is found in the Caribbean, Central and
South America and on Hawaii. On the Hawaiian
Islands it is known as akiohala, hau hele, and hau
hele wai.
 Hibiscus kokio can grow up to 20 feet or more
with red and orange flowers.

7.  Hibiscus tiliaceus, common to the tropics, may
be native to Hawaii or may have been brought to
Hawaii by early Polynesians.
 Hibiscus waimeae grows up to 30 feet tall
producing white flowers.

8.  Hibiscus plants we grow on the mainland produce
gorgeous flowers either monochromatic, one
color, or polychromatic, many colors, in each
flower.
 Hibiscus hybrids include All Aglow, Black
Beauty, Bon Temps, Cajun Blue, Kona, Norman
Lee, Peggy Hendri and countless more.

9.  Hibiscus plants can be grown in the ground year
round in areas with little or no frost, such as plant
hardiness zones 9 and 10.
 When brought home from the nursery the hibiscus
plant should be placed in a partial sunny area and
gradually moved to sunnier exposures until it’s
exposed to full sun.
 It is essential for hibiscus plants to have a very
well draining soil. Otherwise the roots may rot.

10.  Do not to use any fertilizer high in nitrogen when
fertilizing. This results in lots of vegetation
growth, but hardly any flowers. Your plants will
benefit tremendously from regular foliar feeding.
It is important to spray both sides of the leaves. It
is also very helpful to add a surfactant to your
spraying solution. This will prevent the solution
from running off the leaves.

11.  When your hibiscus plant grows out of shape, it
can be pruned to the desired shape. You need to
be careful that all danger of frost has passed.
New growth can be easily damaged by a late
frost.
 Unfortunately, insects like to feast on hibiscus
leaves. These insects include aphids, mealy
bugs, scales, thrips and whiteflies. If this is the
case a good spraying with insecticidal soap a few
times or one application of a systemic insecticide
should take care of the problem.

12.  Grown indoors, hibiscus plants like sunny
windows or be put under grow lights. Hibiscus is
just one of many tropical plants that reward you
with colorful flowers all year long when you give
them the proper care they need.
 Copyright © Bob Walsh
www.HowToGrowPlumeriaFrangipani.com