Hi I just bought my first Hibiscus tree. It is about 5'4" and w/ a very pretty pale pink flower. I didn't get much info except to keep it well watered. But everything Im reading online says NOT to water it that much. First question is how much do I actually water it. But most important is what kind of a pot do I put it in for the winter to keep it watered in my home. I am going to bring it in to my bedroom, and place it just beside my French Door so it gets sun. But right now its in the pot that it was in when I bought it. When I water it of course the water flows out through the bottom. Should I just leave it in the container and set the container in a larger patio pot without drainage holes? This is really bugging me trying to figure out how to keep this tree watered over the winter. PEACE Susan
Before you start accepting everything everyone tells you, read the advice of some honest to goodness Hibiscus experts. You'll find your best source of information on Hibiscus sp. can be found here: http://americanhibiscus.org/ The American Hibisicus Society has a question and answer section that will answer most of your questions. As you'll read on the AHS site, Hibiscus love the sun and water, but the plants do need well drained soil. They are also heavy feeders. These often do not flower as indoor plants but you can read all the suggestions of the experts on that subject on their site. Those people grow the most fabulous Hibiscus flowers in North America.
Thank you for the hibiscus website. I'll spend some time on it later. I have 3 hibiscus plants. One for going on 10 years, one for about about 8 years and one for about 6 years. I bring them inside for the winter, one condo had a solarium with northeast facing windows and they all did well. Other home where winter light was inadequate, I set up grow lights, and the all florished. They all flowered duing the winter but not as profusely as outside in summer. They do need well drained slightly moist soil, but drying out once in a while does not hurt them. I have mine in clay pots. They are heavy feeders...but what a reward the flowers and shiny foliage is! They certainly help me get through the dreary winters. I sit on the floor under them with a fruity drink and pretend I'm back home in the tropics, again, under the ones on my old backyard :-) Happy growing. Zandoli
