Hibiscus coccinea the swamp Hibiscus

[Dave Brown]

Here come the flowers

Pic of whole plant looking very canibis like

Pic showing emerging flower buds, and this plant is in the cooler north facing front garden.

[pete G]

A flower bud eh.

My main plant is probably about that size, but no sign of buds yet.


Yes, I was thinking they looked a bit cannabis like.
Perhaps not the best place to grow it,... in the front garden.

It might get confiscated.

[Adrian]

Thats way ahead of any of mine but then again mine were planted and left as usual.
I have kept one in the greenhouse, do you think these can be kept through winter.

[Dave Brown]

They are herbacious in our winter weather, but it does say the soil temps need to be 70f before it will put in an appearance. Would be better in a tub to get those temps or you may not see it until July then it won't get to flowering size.

[Adrian]

Ta Dave, I have enough to leave some planted out and lift a couple for over wintering in the greenhouse so we will be able to compare this time next year.
Nice plants foliage wise and I suppose a flower or two could be seen as a bonus.

[Alexander]

Dave,

That Hibiscus needs to get to the hottest sunniest part of your garden if you want it to flower. I also had often the little flowerbuds by this time of the year but then it got colder and they just fall of.

Alexander

[Alexander]

Today, the 18 of August the first pink flower in my wild Hibiscus palustris was open. This shows its a much better option for cooler climates then H. coccineus.
In the autumn I have plenty H. palustris rhizomes for those whom want to try it. In the warmer parts of the UK it should be an easy perrenial plant for sunny borders.

Alexander

[pete G]

I've got flower buds forming on mine now.

[Exotic Life]

I've sowing some hibiscus, and they germinate very well. So i hope on some nice flowers next summers.

Robbin

[Alexander]

In the east of the Country in Enschede someone got it in flower now in the garden. Its warmer there in summer then where I live.

By the way I have fresh seeds at the moment.

Alexander

[Exotic Life]

Alexander,

I have buy some seeds from you a few weeks ago, and they have germinated very well. About the summer in the east, this summer the west (Southwest) is quite the same compared to the east. They have got only a few days that the temperature was warmer in the east. And at the other hand our night temperatures in the southwest are way higher then the east, and It looks like when the nights staying warmer the plants do grow better and more. I have a place already in mind, where I'm sure about that it's going to flower there to.

However I think, I got some more heat they you because you are much closer to the sea then I am, but don't forget this summer is quite good this year.

Robbin

[Alexander]

Robbin,

If you plant some of those H. coccineus against your south facing side of the house they make a chance to flower one day, provided the summer is a good one.
And you give them some mulch in the autumn and some good olsd farmyard mannure in early spring and plenty water in the summer.

I always give my plants warm water, I place buckets with water in the sun and in the evening they get it.

Alexander

[pete G]

Finally got a flower to open, but had to bring the plant into the conservatory to get it to do so.



Anyone else got any from this batch of seed?

[Dave Brown]

Well done Pete, beautiful flower

Mine was too big to come into the conservatory without cutting it back so would have lost the buds, so it has stayed outside and although in the warmest part of the garden the cooler nights have caused the buds to drop. My conclusion is that even though I am in one of the warmest parts of the country, the summer is not long, or hot enough, for flowering here. Was worth a try though

[Alexander]

Under glass they flower arround June here. In the wild they flower from June till September.

Well the pink and white flowering H. palustris will flower here, the pink one is doing so here at the moment. And it grows along the Hudson just outside New York. I saw it on a documentary of a naturereserve just outside the city.

Alexander