Hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Tropical hibiscus is an evergreen shrub grown for its large, showy flowers in red, pink, orange, yellow and white. Each flower lasts only a day or two, but a healthy plant in full sun produces new buds for months. It does well in large pots and garden beds in warm climates.
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
High
Keep the soil evenly moist in hot, sunny weather; potted plants may need water daily. Never let the pot sit in water. Bud drop is often a sign of irregular watering.
Soil
Rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter, slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0–7.0).
Temperature and humidity
10–35 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed every 2–3 weeks during the flowering season with a balanced or potassium-rich fertilizer, plus a handful of compost every couple of months.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings, air layering, grafting
Prune by up to a third at the end of the cool season or after the monsoon. Flowers form on new growth, so a light prune leads to more blooms.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is not listed as toxic to cats or dogs.
Top Cultivation Tips
Six or more hours of direct sun gives the most flowers.
Check leaf undersides and buds for mealybugs and aphids.
Repot every two years in fresh, rich mix.
Yellow leaves with green veins can point to a magnesium or iron shortage.
Common problems
Ants on plants
Ants rarely damage plants themselves, but they protect sap-sucking pests for their honeydew and may nest in pots, drying out the roots.
How to treat it →PestAphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseaseBud drop
Flower buds yellow and fall before opening, usually because the plant has been stressed by changes in water, light or temperature.
How to treat it →DiseaseFrost damage
Injury caused when ice forms inside plant tissue, turning leaves, flowers and shoots black, limp or papery after a cold night.
How to treat it →DiseaseIron chlorosis
Young leaves turn yellow while the veins stay green, usually because alkaline soil stops the plant taking up iron.
How to treat it →PestJapanese beetle
Metallic green and copper beetles that skeletonise leaves and devour flowers in summer, while their grubs feed on lawn roots.
How to treat it →PestJassids
Small, wedge-shaped green insects that run sideways and suck sap from leaf undersides, causing curled, yellow-edged and scorched leaves.
How to treat it →DiseaseLeaf spot
Fungal or bacterial infections that cause brown, black or purple spots on leaves, often with a yellow halo, leading to early leaf drop.
How to treat it →PestMealybugs
White, cottony insects that hide in leaf joints and under leaves, weakening plants and spreading easily to neighbours.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →DiseaseSooty mould
A black, powdery fungal coating that grows on the sticky honeydew left by sap-sucking insects, blocking light from leaves.
How to treat it →DiseaseUnderwatering
Too little water makes plants wilt, crisp at the edges and drop leaves, flowers and fruit.
How to treat it →PestWhiteflies
Small white flying insects that gather under leaves, sucking sap, spreading viruses and leaving sticky honeydew.
How to treat it →DiseaseYellow leaves
A common sign of a problem rather than a disease in itself, where leaves lose their green colour because of watering, light, nutrient or root problems.
How to treat it →
