Hibiscus, hardy or not

[rosie]

Are Rose of Sharon and hibiscus the same thing?

[butterfly]

The one that is in my avatar only grew to about 18 inches tall and I mulched it but it didn't survive the winter

Every thing I read says for zone 5 and I am 5b

But how come they don't suvive here

No one has them in my part of NS

I have found them only in one nursery and the tag says for indoors not hardy

The one I had did say hardy on the tag but guess not

any answers why they don't survive here??

[rosie]

That is why I wondering if they were the same thing or nor. I here rose of sharon and hibiscus used together. I have a friend who has a rose of sharon that is about 10 feet high, blossoms every year. It is a shrub like tree???
I would like to have one as well but I need to know what I going after first.

[sunkeeper]

You can fertilize your hibiscus with a tomatoe fertilizer.



There are a great many fertilizers to choose from but only a few that will meet your plant's needs. When selecting a fertilizer, make note of the three numbers on the label. Nitrogen will be listed first followed by phosphorous and potassium (or potash), generally referred to as N-P-K. Most professional growers suggest using a fertilizer with a low phosphorous value and suggest an 18-10-28 or equivalent ratio. If you have difficulty finding an appropriate fertilizer, you can ask your nursery or retail dealer for a tomato fertilizer. Generally, these fertilizers will be within the required values. Either a time released fertilizer or water-soluble fertilizer will be suitable, and it is possible to combine both methods if one uses a little care. If all else fails you can use a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10/20-20-20).

[sunkeeper]

Epsom salts can be used on any plant inside the home or outside in the garden.
I use it all the time.


Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, a mineral plants need to survive and grow. The following information is from the epsom salt council at www.epsomsaltcouncil.org.

Feeding your lawn with Epsom Salt can increase the chlorophyll content and improve its ability to synthesize food leading to lush, healthy lawns.

For vibrant plants and vegetables- like your body, plants will suffer if they lack nutrients. By adding just a spoonful of epsom salt you can prevent weak stalks and yellow leaves. Sprinkle epsom salt around the base of a
LUSA 125_1

The council claims by sprinkling a few tablespoonfuls around your garden and garbage cans raccoons and woodchucks will stay away and not harm the animals.

The council recommends the following applications:

Houseplants
Mix one teaspoon per gallon of water and feed to the plants every two to four weeks.

Garden startup
Sprinkle approximately one cup per 100 square feet. (10’x10’) and mix into soil before planting.

Tomatoes
Apply one tablespoon per foot of height for each plant every two weeks.

Roses
Apply one teaspoon per foot of height for each plant every two weeks.

Evergreens, Azaleas, Rhododendrons
Apply one tablespoon per nine square feet (3’x3’) over the root zone every two to four weeks.

Lawns
# Apply three pounds per 1250 square feet (25’x 50’)
# Apply six pounds per 2500 square feet (50’x 50’)
# Apply twelve pounds per 5000 square feet (50’x 100’)


Sage: Do not apply! This herb is one of the few plants that doesn't like Epsom Salt.

[sunkeeper]

That is why I wondering if they were the same thing or nor. I here rose of sharon and hibiscus used together. I have a friend who has a rose of sharon that is about 10 feet high, blossoms every year. It is a shrub like tree???
I would like to have one as well but I need to know what I going after first.

Hi Rosie, Rose of Sharon is a shrub.

[Venice]

Rose of Sharon is I believe in the same family, but not at all like a Hardy Hibiscus.

The Rose of Sharon is a deciduous tree or shrub. the hardy hibiscus is a Perennial in the correct zones. I chop mine down to the ground every year, and it comes back from the base.

It's entirely possible that yours actually didn't die, you just didn't cut it back and wait long enough for the new growth. I almost pulled mine out the first year, as it wasn't until late June that it was doing anything.

Here's a Rose of Sharon, mine is only two years old and could get to be about 12' high depending on how we prune it. It's on the far right in the front, in front of the white petunia's.



Here's the Hibiscus, it's right behind the Hosta. You can see my hosts have come back nicely, as have the spiderworts, and really no sign of the Hibiscus, aside from the maple weed coming out of the middle hehe.




June 26th, starting to show



Here it is last week July 17th

[sunkeeper]

The hardy hibiscus comes up later than most perennials. You have to mark the area, because you might overlook where it is planted.

[butterfly]

Beautiful

I had one like your pink one

The tag said hardy

I had it planted in the garden and mulched it but it didn't survive

I don't know what kind would survive outside

[Venice]

well the hardy are good to zone 5 I think.

More then likely it did survive, but took too long to come back in the spring and got dug up.

I almost dug mine up the first 2 years, I had to fight with hubby. It dies down to the ground each year, and takes forever to sprout in the spring, you can see from my pics, the hosta's and spiderwort's were already doing well, and no sign of the Hibiscus.

Ven