This
is the time of the growing season that one of the most spectacular flowering
shrubs begins to bloom. Hibiscus x moscheutos or hardy Hibiscus are tough,
resilient garden shrubs that can take
our winters and come back strong. Sometimes called rose mallow, these hibiscus
were developed from native plants and
are now hardy down to Zone 4. Hardy hibiscus are fairly easy to grow. They like
their place in the sun, so select a site in the garden where they'll get as
much sun as possible. They can be grown in partial shade, such as an
East-facing location, but the flower production may not be as great.
Once
established, hardy hibiscus can easy grow 6' high and 6' across so keep this in
mind when you're choosing a planting spot. There are dwarf varieties of hardy
hibiscus that only get about 3' tall and 3' wide, if you don't have room for a full size shrub.
Hardy hibiscus like well drained soils,
so prepare the planting site by adding compost or peat moss to your existing
soil at the rate of about 50:50.
Add some Root Stimulator to the planting hole
to ensure good root production. Planted now, you should get flowers yet this
season Hardy hibiscus flowers only last a day, but the flower production will
go on all season, right up to first frost. In our area, the canes will die back
after the first hard frost. When they do die back, cut the canes to the ground.
Water the root ball occasionally during the winter. Hardy hibiscus are among
the last plants to emerge in the spring, so give them plenty of time. To often,
people think the shrub died over the winter when in fact it's still alive, just
dormant and slow to emerge. Some of the spectacular color choices in hardy
hibiscus shrubs include:
'Copper Queen',
'Fireball',
'Mocha Moon',
'Pink Clouds'. Planting hardy hibiscus will
add unique color to your garden landscape for many seasons to come.
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