Pruning Tropical Hibiscus

I am Prunning my Hibiscus to get it ready for my Patio. It is really easy.. why not root the cuttings when your done (i will post another video on that soon :)

[@kir10s]

This was a great video! My hibiscus was VERY tall and branchy from the winter. I followed your advice (nervously) and pruned it as you demonstrated. I cannot believe how much happier and bushier and more beautiful it is now! I have also planted the trimmings as your next video demonstrated, and am excited about these little plants progress as well. Thank you!

[@antoinette4568]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this...I now live in a tropical climate and have a naturally beautiful garden that I am now trying to cultivate.

[@melindastevens46]

Las Vegan hibiscus owner and I don't have alot of flowering seasons like you but it does well in spring and fall! Mine was very woody and spindly. For whatever reason I didn't know I could prune. Thanks for this video. Will try everything!

[@OoLaLaFrenchGirl]

I have 3 hibiscus plants in my front flowerbed and wasn't sure how to prune them. Thanks to your helpful video, I now know how to do it! Your advice is appreciated.

[@PlantzNThings]

I'm glad i could help you out :) Thank you for watching :)

[@PlantzNThings]

Madeline - Most of what i learned is from trial and error over the years... however i did go to school for horticulture and worked in the industry for about 10 years

[@brianwalker1114]

PlantzNThings i

[@bludoggy71]

Thanks for the tips on pruning. Absolutely love Hibiscus, Peace.

[@PlantzNThings]

thank you for watching :) It's amazing to me to see the different prices out there. i think it might also have something to do with this plant being hardy to your zone. or maybe your growing season is longer and it takes a shorter time to grow these plants to a good size. either way... very interesting :) good luck with your propagating

[@jasonnixon8005]

instablaster

[@lou-hellenphiri-eggers5299]

Love your honesty about sterilizing your tool, that is the same way I do it too

[@PlantzNThings]

Thanks :) I love My Hibiscus. The Flowers are stunning :) i would love to have them as a shrub in my garden :)

[@annalarsen655]

Thank you for the video. This is my first HIBISCUS & I have NOT taken care of it properly for 3 1/2 years. I have never pruned it. My plant is almost bare with very little growth. So I am going to try my best to help it recover. Poor thing is in a pot & I just let it grow. We had maybe 15 flowers on it last season. Now I haven't had flowers on it for several months & it's not green. It's maybe a light green/yellow. I'll post before & after photos. Even though it'll take a few months to show. Again, Thank you. Learning as I go with Hibiscus. My garden is perfect & giving us food. Wish me luck on my 4 year old hibiscus that has not been properly taken care of until now.

[@PlantzNThings]

Good luck rejuvenating your plant... start small with only one or 2 branches... see where the new growth develops.. then move to the next few branches... remember they do best with LOTS of light.. and they are heavy feeders when they are actively growing... so in the spring and summer it's best to feed them lightly with each watering... maybe half the recommended dose. I also like to work in some slow release fertilizer into the top few inches of soil in the spring as an added punch

[@annalarsen655]

@@PlantzNThings I bought some slow release fertilizer, pruned over 4 weeks not to stun the plant as I followed your recommendations. We live in Phoenix AZ & my plant loves morning sun and afternoon shade. I do have to feed it a gallon of water daily during 110 degrees. The plant has more flowers on it than the past 2 1/2 years combined. It's absolutely beautiful. Looks just like yours. Thank you for the help.

[@PlantzNThings]

I'm so happy I've inspired you to prune your plants :) The will bush out wonderfully for you :) I also use Miracle grow and my plants do fine :)

[@rachelwalton3772]

Good, informative video. Thank you! Question: I let my hibiscus get too leggy and had to chop it back hard. Is there something I should put on the cut hardwood ends to help discourage disease?

[@GooGhall]

Very informative, thank you! Will prune my hibiscus soon!

[@PlantzNThings]

Sure :) well first I would like to welcome you to the Wonderful world of Hibiscus :) It is a great plant :) when removing the dead flower, you will notice that the flower is attached to a small stem like thing :) you want to pinch that off right at the main stem... when my plant starts flowering again i will make a video on that :) if you have any other questions please don't be afraid to ask :)

[@PlantzNThings]

it sounds Really Happy!

[@NGNG3]

Yes! I'm in the same zone as you. We've had these hibiscus for over 10 years. One plant looks like FIVE plants. We only planted one hibiscus in white and the other in red. : ) The white one is over four feet in width and can stand as tall as five or six feet! Same for the red one.

[@PlantzNThings]

Not a silly question at all... the best way to remove the flower is to take at actual flowers as well as the green stem and remove it all the way to the branch. if you want to save seeds you would just remove the the faded or dead flower petals. i hope i was able to help you. i can make a video on the topic when i start getting flowers on my hibiscus again :)

[@PlantzNThings]

Your right they are like weeds... But Beautiful ones :) to keep it constanly in check and to never be without buds i usually trim on or 2 stems a week... by the end of the season your plant is compact, bushy and is LOADED with blooms

[@castlewhispers891]

Thanks for the hibiscus pruning vid--its my goto vid when considering the pruning of my own hibiscus which must be done shortly (ive been wanting to prune it for some months now, but am always afraid I might hurt it).

[@venugopalbalijepalli8081]

very useful tips for pruning. Thanks for the video

[@PlantzNThings]

Stim root on the end of the branch.. i have never heard of doing that... what does it do?

[@PlantzNThings]

Are these hibiscus hardy for you?

[@china-trip]

My best friend, Thank you for your hard work in making the video. I enjoyed the good video. Have a happy day.

[@liltsummerlin423]

Thank you for your knowledge!

[@growingdaniel]

That's cool that they're grow there commonly! If we had any chill hours I'd grow the works: apples, peaches, cherries, you name it lol. And that's nice that they still have something about them that you can enjoy :D

[@PlantzNThings]

Yes it is :) If there is new growth beneath where you're cutting you are in good shape :) Have fun with it :)

[@homeplantsguide-to5xl]

Great tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@PlantzNThings]

me too! so beautiful. I have a little update to this video... the cuttings i took have rooted and started flowering :)

[@taranorland4053]

I can't find that video do you have the link? I'd love to see how to grow the cuttings

[@PlantzNThings]

I live in Ontario Canada. :) Yes i take my plants inside for the winter.. i have a few nice windows and some grow lights downstairs.

[@joejackson5739]

Does it hurt the hibiscus to prune it back in late fall before putting in the greenhouse for winter? Mine are large and I need to conserve space.

[@PlantzNThings]

That's some great info :) Thank you. :)

[@bhartiparihar]

Hi love your video! Would you mind sharing a fertilizing video for hibiscus? How often, what kind you use etc.

[@AndrexT]

A good video thank you. I have a lanky tree Hibiscus that we have had in a pot for about 6 years and it needs a good prune. Any tips on getting rid of whitefly?

[@helenecote623]

very informative and helpful.. thx

[@PlantzNThings]

your right about the pest issue. they seem to be a magnet for them :( aphids can be tough... they just keep returning. i used to have an issue with aphids on my Ming Aralia. every time it would try and put up new growth the aphids would show up and suck it dry. i would blast it with water or dishsoap and water and i would be fine until another new leaf would try and grow... this plant never saw the outside and it's the only one that ever had an issue with aphids... weird!

[@PlantzNThings]

my fingers are crossed for you... i would soak the plant. if it's in a pot i would submurge it in water for an hour or 2 to fully hydrate the soil... then let the plant dry moderately before you water again... hopefully soon there will be new green growth at the tips... i hope it survives for you

[@hikinggirl1601]

Thank you for the tips! Where did you store the plant in winter?

[@chazb9164]

Coming up on year 3 with mine Time to prune him a bit and make baby's from it. Thanks for the helpful info

[@ptuheim]

Great!! Thx for all the tips!!

[@lharley04]

Thank you - now to find your tips on rooting the cuttings.

[@agood1]

Waiting on two in the mail. Bought one at home depot, and have one inside I bought online from the same place I'm waiting for the others. I think my first one had bad root damage from tra splant and no drainage holes. I have since moved it to less bright light installed a drainage hole and it seems to be bouncing back slowly from the dry shrivled plant to getting green and soft again. The stem still had some green. I am very hapoy growing this. I wil lsoon habe 4 different varieties and 5 total plants as long as this one makes a full come back. I'm in western washington so i believe indoors or overwinter in a greenhouse will be best for them.

[@PlantzNThings]

no time like the present to start taking care of it better... i would start with a light pruning to encourage new side growth and then some half strength fertilizer. when the plant starts to respond you can prune it more if you like and level off the feeding :) just remember that the buds come from the new growth tips, so if you don't wanna loose all of your flowers.. don't prune your whole plant now... do 1/3 each time :) Good luck

[@PlantzNThings]

:) Thanks for watching :) I'm sure you'll root your cuttings with ease :)

[@Msansook]

I really appreciated your information you had to offer in this video! My only suggestion is there is a loud high pitch ring in your audio that could be easily fixed :) I'm off to find your other video about hibiscus rooting! I'm really interested in that since I have a good bit of lush cuttings. :D Once again thank you!

[@Sg4809]

I have a braided hibiscus that I brought inside for the winter and it hasnt bloomed which is fine but has lots of leaves, there are about 3 long stems on one side that dont have any leaves so I take it that they're dead and need to come off? It's kinda hard to tell because one of the stems is still green at the very top but no leaves, but the others dont have any green at all anywhere so would you take the stems off that dont have any green and no leaves and maybe hold off on the stem with the green tip? Well I take that back it did have one bloom but it dropped before it opened, I didnt even know it budded until I saw it on the window sill after it had fallen, I cant wait to get it back outside, it's one of my favorites!

[@PlantzNThings]

my recommendation would be to wait until early spring... enjoy some of the flowers over winter. :)

[@PlantzNThings]

You should get good germination from your rose of sharon seeds :) In zone 7+ they seem to self seed all over the place :) what i guess i'm saying is they can grow like little weeds :) I'm glad you liked the christmas tree in a can videos :) it really was a fun project :) Sadly though when i put the plant outside to get better air flow and light it crisped up and went brown. :( and yes it was in a shady spot :)

[@PlantzNThings]

That's great that it's still looking good :) are you still getting flowers?

[@loridomi1]

the period of pruning depends on where one lives?

[@PlantzNThings]

sure you can. you will sacrifice the blooms. but the plant will be fine with some pruning in the fall

[@normadyoung639]

Hi, I live in Rhode Island in the US and took my hibiscus in just before the recent hurricane. I left them on an enclosed porch where it got pretty cold and have taken them into my sun room now. After removing a lot of frazzled leaves I wondered if I should prune now or wait 'til spring. There are still a few buds and blooms and I know that they will bloom even in winter. So, to prune or not to prune?

[@huiyingtanyayap]

Thanks for the video!!

[@lozenalatich8217]

Thank you very much for this video!It is amazing! I have 4 different color of hibiscus, and they are so big , but I never ever pruned them! I did not know how to do it! Your video really helped me a lot! Right now I am going to the basement and prune my hibiscus. I have one question; What kind of fertilizer you use ? I have miracle grow and fertilize all my plants with it.Is that good? Thank you very much!

[@rachelw1316]

Thank you for sharing. Going to give it a go! ☺️

[@PlantzNThings]

GREAT!! Good Lick :)

[@PlantzNThings]

Thank you for watching :) Yea sorry for that buzz.. i don't know what is going on with that camera... I have since gotten a new camera so that buzz is gone... maybe this spring i will re make a hibiscus prunning/ propagation video Minus the buzz :)

[@wafflebauf5256]

PlantzNThings Why did you not reply directly to the comment?

[@hardyshibiscusheaven977]

Helpful video, thanks 🌺

[@haroldcroley3825]

you said you use 20-20-20 fertilizer, i was told that 16-4-11 is best, your thoughts

[@PlantzNThings]

If you have a very bright location inside like a sunroom. there is no need to bring them outside. but if you don't get enough sun in the house it is best to move it outside so that it develops strong growth. being cautious is a good thing. maybe in time you'll push your boundaries. Hibiscus can handle a few light frosts.. so i would worry about that too much :)

[@bwai9187]

Recently I discovered white flies on my hibiscus so I decided to cut all the leaves off the plant to get rid of problem. Also added pest control in soil as well as changing new soil. Not only did plant not grow new leaves all existing leaves shriveled and died. When squishing some stems from main root you can feel it being hollow. What is happening to the plant? Will it survive?

[@AlottaBoulchit]

Thanks for the video~! I have had my Hibiscus for a few years now but I have never pruned it or fed it (outside of the miracle gro I put in the pot when I planted it). Would it be bad to start pruning and feeding it after I guess "neglecting" it for so long? It's a wonder this poor lil guy has survived so long w/o pruning, food and daily watering. My lil guy must have a strong will to live!

[@forreal1014]

any tips on pruning one after a hard freeze? i dont want the plant to die :(

[@veryredknit3470]

Why is it my hibiscus leaves have several slight translucent dot all over? Thank you for sharing. Awesome video!

[@katlayman3032]

You said to prune back in the spring but what about fall wouldn't that be the best time to prune it back when it stops blooming I just bought what says it's a hibiscus looks nothing like the one I had before I had a beautiful orange one two of them this one that I just bought is all frilly and I didn't know that any hibiscus look like this but it's a very big hibiscus in a 3 gallon pot which I plan to re pot in to a larger pot because I do not have a front yard or back yard wish I did I love to plant I live in an Apartments but would it not be better to prune it back in the fall after all the blooms are gone?

[@JanetHarvey]

Try cutting back on the water, and giving it more sunshine? Sometimes leaves turn yellow and soft when the "feet" of the plant are too wet. If that doesn't help it revive, maybe add some nitrogen to your soil. Fish emulsion is a good organic source of nitrogen but it is pretty stinky :D. Good luck!!

[@growingdaniel]

I can imagine. It's a shame that you can't grow it in ground but it certainly doesn't seem to be complaining about being potted up lol. And the flowers are very beautiful, it's one of those plants that doesn't have too much exotic appeal to me (instead of, say, an apple tree) since it's so common here, but it really does have lots of aesthetic appeal, and I'm sure many growers who live in places where it's rare and exotic love to grow them :)

[@jeraldlisenko4873]

I live in an area that Tropical Hibiscus plants can only live during the summer and i dont have room to bring it in. My question is, does it really need pruned over a 3 - 4 month period. It gets a little over 3 feet tall

[@chrissiestevens1001]

I love hibiscus but am having no luck at all. I live in Alberta, Canada so I keep my hibiscus inside even during the summer. Our temps during the summer range from lows of 60f to 94f with moderate humidity. Am I being over cautious keeping them indoors?

[@NGNG3]

True, but the hibiscus tree we have is very old matured tree! Taking a stem or two a week is not enough. LOL I butchered it last week and then two weeks ago and then two weeks before that and it still overtakes the garden! : ) Pretty flowers, yes, but very very piggyish for space. I like your orange hibiscus tree. Good idea to keep in planter. It will overrun it in space, but at least you can handle it. : )

[@chrissiestevens1001]

I purchased 2 large hibiscus trees, pruned from the greenhouse to be bushy on top, 1 had the occasional flower bloom. I transplanted both into larger pots, broke up the roots, gave them nice potting soil, pruned as per your directions. However, they are both getting yellow leaves mainly on the inside of the bushy part. I'm sure I'm keeping the soil moist enough. There is no sign of bugs. What could be happening?

[@millennialmoneymakers6597]

Does the hibiscus bloom a flower from the same bud site after the initial flower falls out?

[@chrissiestevens1001]

Thanks for answering, they get lots morning sun where they are stationed. My other concern about putting them outside, is having them catch a bug (literally). Last year I had an indoor Hibiscus that flourished, with 4 flowers a day! Then come winter, nasty black aphids killed it (its believed)..I wasn't here to witness its slow death, but my kids reported on all they'd done to keep it alive as it slowly lost leaf after leaf like a prematurely balding man, until it was naked, then dead.

[@texasmargarita6335]

Thanks- good info.

[@RUBY6149]

Is it ok to cut off the very top of the main plant stem? There are about seven new stems trying to grow under it.

[@greekvilla]

Thank you. I was not sure what is the best way to cut back lanky hibiscus. This helped a lot.

[@PlantzNThings]

+Greek Villa Landscape Design and Property Management let me know how your Hibiscus responds to pruning... mine always gives a fresh flush of blooms

[@felitafelita7188]

PlantzNThings oc

[@PlantzNThings]

Thank you for watching :)

[@PlantzNThings]

That's hard to say... it will be close. Might i suggest instead of prunning the whole plant back try prunning 1/3 or 1/2 of the plant at a time... that way some stems are producing buds still and the others are regenerating.. you can prune this way all summer long too, and not really miss out on beautiful blooms. Let me know how it goes :)

[@gregkatic1847]

great job

[@PlantzNThings]

There are a variety of things that could be causing this. since i can't post a good link here i will post the page on my PlantzNThings facebook page where you can read it.

[@PlantzNThings]

:) Thanks for watching :)

[@judy4justice]

I just purchased 50 Rose Of Sharon Hibiscus seeds.I already have 3 giant hardy Hibiscus which are doing great but I wanted to see what I can do with seeds.They only sold these seeds in packages of 50 so does this mean they are hard to germinate and 50 will only produce a few plants?Hope you can answer this question.Thank you!As always, I love your videos',really got a laugh out of your Christmas tree in a can!

[@dcmdfw]

I keep mine inside due to winter is it not good to prune it in the winter? Also I am assuming from your video where you say you have a couple of varieties in that pot th at they don't need much room?

[@PlantzNThings]

I also keep mine indoors for the winter. they will tolerate a little frost but certainly not for long. If you don't have to prune in the winter i wouldn't. The plant is usually dormant at that time of the year. the plant needs good space to grow as it does turn into a large shrub if you let it. but even in nature they will grow close together.. you just need to monitor your watering and feeding so they both stay happy and healthy.

[@PlantzNThings]

thanks for watching :)

[@PlantzNThings]

funny how that works... don't get me wrong I love Apple trees... but since they are all around me i take them for granted ...lol... i do love their branching patterns tho! :)

[@PlantzNThings]

Thanks for watching :)

[@GoreChick]

thank you so much!!

[@khtboston]

I don't know where you live but do you take your plant inside for the winter?

[@jessicachronis790]

Thanks for making this video. I just pruned my pink Hibiscus. I hope that it helps it bloom more. I've had it for about 5 years and it barely blooms. I think it does about 3-4 times per year. Always once randomly in the middle of winter. I also added some 15-5-15 fertilizer to it about a month ago and repotted it in a larger planter to see if that helps. I have it in my front hall now because it's very sunny there, and I take it outside during the later Spring/Summer months. It had a lot of leaves and has grown quite a bit, so I think it's healthy. Any other suggestions to help it bloom more?

[@Krystinell]

The fertilizer should be added regularly. As found on the internet: In the summer, use a high potassium fertilizer. You can either use a diluted liquid fertilizer one a week, a slow release fertilizer once a month or you can add a high potassium compost to the soil. In the winter, you don’t need to fertilize at all. Read more at Gardening Know How: How To Care For Hibiscus Plants www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hibiscus/how-to-care-for-hibiscus-plants.htm

[@jbonk234]

Can you prune it back in fall?

[@user-dp4bu8jy4b]

I'm so upset. I brought my hibiscus in last week when it went below 50 in N.Y.. Now the leaves look ugly shriveled and dry even though the soil is moist. Can l prune off a few inches to encourage new growth even in October? I ust misted it thinking the heat in the house dried it up..

[@Maddie9185]

How did you become so knowledgable about plants?

[@PlantzNThings]

I would treat it the same :)

[@Candy630]

Thank you 👍

[@lauren9714]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I just bought 3 Hibiscus trees in NJ and I have no idea what I'm doing. This was very helpful. I have no idea how to make them survive the winter. My townhome really doesn't get a great deal of light. Any suggestions? (They are in pots)

[@tommybattista]

Lauren bring them inside for the winter

[@tommybattista]

They’ll die

[@ashg5903]

I just inherted a tropical hibiscus tree and its getting cold here now in Minnesota, snowed today. My boyfriend is Hawaiian and he warned me about all the pests and has me afraid to bring it indoors. Its been in the garage day 2 now and I want to prune it back a bit. This video is helpful. What should I do to prevent spider mites etc?

[@nataliesugar2117]

Your bf might be the pest

[@growingnorth]

thank you, helped allot! :)

[@wendyfoster9888]

I have a braided tropical hybiscus, i live in Iowa. When do i prune it back. Will it stay alive inside during winter. How much light willmit need

[@PlantzNThings]

You can prune it anytime... just know that when you prune a hibiscus it will no bloom on the cut branches for a while... give your plant as much sun as you can when it comes in the house...

[@debralowe2902]

In the fall I cut my dinner plate size down to the ground around the first frost know my plants are huge 😍

[@growingnorth]

Hi, probably a silly question, but wondered how you remove dead flowers? :)

[@bwai9187]

Thank you