Red Maple Hibiscus...Hibiscus Acetosella

Mariposa's picture
Submitted by Mariposa on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 12:38
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Someone sent me some hibiscus seeds (it's been a while so I can't remember.) I planted the seeds and thought it would look like a regular hibiscus but the the leaves look like a Japanese maple tree. I did a search on the internet and found it was Red Maple Hibiscus. I wonder if I will see blooms from it as it is September and there are no blooms on it. I read its hardy in zones 7 to 8 so I guess I may have to bring it in for the winter.

Love Is Like A Butterfly }i{

http://mariposaslittlecorner.blogspot.com/

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RonsGarden's picture

Red Maple Hibiscus...Hibiscus Acetosella

Submitted by RonsGarden on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 16:52.
These guys are grown for their foliage.  Blooming is just an added bonus.  You may not see any blooms if you live in a zones 8 or colder.  They are not winter hardy.  Bloom time is usually late fall to early winter, so since  the plants are not frost resistant you will not see any blooms to enjoy, unless you have a cool greenhouse to winter them over in!!!

Ron ~ zone 6b ~ Ontario

Mariposa's picture

Im Not

Submitted by Mariposa on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:28.
loosing hope. My cousin brought a little Amapola (Tropical Hibiscus) twig from Puerto Rico and she potted it kept it in the house through the winter put it outside in the summer and it bloomed. That was 20 years ago. the plant is over 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide. She takes it in every winter and drags it out in the summer it looks awful the leaves look dead but as the warm sun hits it it magically transforms and the leaves get a beautiful green and it blooms beautiful red Amapolas just like the ones back home. She has made beautiful plants from the mother plant. She also did the same with her Dama de Noche (Lady of the Night. That one has beautiful tiny little shooting star flowers that open at night the scent is almost hypnotic. If those survived and bloomed I have hope.

Love Is Like A Butterfly }i{

http://mariposaslittlecorner.blogspot.com/

Gloria's picture

That's right

Submitted by Gloria on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:35.
That's right Luz, never lose hope..you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish with determination. I WILL have this baby show its self again next year and I will see blooms!!! Laughing
RonsGarden's picture

WTG Gloria!

Submitted by RonsGarden on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 21:19.

You will never know if you do not try!

But, just in case, take some cuttings and root them.

When you bring your plant idoors for the winter expec some leaf drop due to the changes in light as well as humidity.  Pot it up and place the plant in a half shady area and gradually move it to more shade ove a few weeks.  Then bring it inside.  Indoor lighting would be the same as shade to bright shade outdoors.  Doing thios will condition the plant before bringing it in.  Cut back on the watering and refrain from using fertilizer until late winter/early spring.  By then you should see new growth happening!

Do you have  a sunny window?   An east exposure would be best.

I used to bring my daturas and brugs inside until they got just too large to get them down into the basement!!! But these guys are easy to force into dormancy with cool temps, very little water, and darkness for 5 months.  Hibiscus are a bit more tempermental!

Ron ~ zone 6b ~ Ontario

Gloria's picture

Thanks Ron

Submitted by Gloria on Wed, 09/10/2008 - 07:36.

I'll follow your directions Ron and thanks. I do have a window with an east exposure and I'll also do cuttings. I have 2 more of these that I planted late in pots. They are only a few inches tall now. Do you think the bush should be pinched back at some time to prevent them from growing so tall and slim? The pic is of 2 plants together so it looks bushy but are not. 

I started my first Brug inside also. Didn't take me long to realize they needed to stay outside. For me they grow better outside and with our mild winters.. have done great.

skbeal's picture

Gloria, you ROCK! I guess

Submitted by skbeal on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:40.

Gloria, you ROCK!

I guess we'll all have to put our heads together to make sure we have them next spring! 

Gloria's picture

Susan, I'm going to need a

Submitted by Gloria on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:47.

Susan, I'm going to need a huge pot for this one..ya got an extra??? LOL

I'm a nut case at trying to over winter plants. I have this huge 10 foot tall palm plant..don't know exactly what it is ..but every Fall I lug it inside and back out again in the Spring. This past Spring I got a hand dollie to get it outside. I may not try and bring it in again as the booger has grown quite a bit this Summer!! I hate to lose her but ..my goodness..I'm getting too old for this!!

skbeal's picture

I think we need a giant

Submitted by skbeal on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:51.

I think we need a giant greenhouse, Gloria...Each of us need one of them! I swear, if I keep bringing plants in, our already too cluttered place (as far as I am concerned,) will look like a maze where there's only a tiny aisle you can walk through.........................

I hate loosing plants -- especially when I worked so hard to grow them by seed.

 

Gloria's picture

OK..

Submitted by Gloria on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:10.
Awww shucks Ron..why'd you have to burst my bubble??? Well..I'm going to dig this baby up before frost...put it in a pot beside the heater.., set a light over it and keep it all Winter..now there!!! LOL
skbeal's picture

If y'all don't here from me

Submitted by skbeal on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:39.

If y'all don't here from me from the time I try to bring that hibiscus in the house ever again, you'll know that my hubby killed me...Now, I've grown other things that aren't supposed to be hardy for this zone and they grow fabulously.

Do you suppose we could take cuttings and root them so that the plants wouldn't be like huge enormous bushes over taking our homes?

Luz, if that Lady of the night is the same thing as Night Blooming Jasmine, I have that, and I'm working on trying to root as many cuttings as I can.................you might be able to grow that inside. It needs decent sun though. I have it facing east -- it's at my door and it's protected somewhat by a balcony that hangs over us.

skbeal's picture

I guess that explains why the

Submitted by skbeal on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 17:18.

I guess that explains why the person who gave us all the seeds had so many blooms......She's in zone 9/10.....

I wonder though, whether it would bloom if I were to bring it in the house and give it enough light....or will it bloom earlier next year when it comes back ---------if it comes back?

Gloria's picture

I remember

Submitted by Gloria on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 20:16.
I remember where and from whom I got seeds....they came from Florida..the paradise for tropical plants. (sigh)
Gloria's picture

Here goes

Submitted by Gloria on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 14:07.

[img_assist|nid=7934|title=Red Maple Hibiscus|desc=I grew this Red Maple Hibiscus from seeds sent to me by a member. It has grown well for me in zone 8. It is planted in full sun but has not bloomed yet.|link=none|align=left|width=240|height=180]I hope this works...here's my Hibiscus.

Mariposa's picture

Gloria

Submitted by Mariposa on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 16:19.
Thats what I have the leaves are pretty and shiny. Mine is in a pot also I put the seeds in late had them in my hand and just threw them in the pot. I honestly had forgot about them till I noticed the plant growing lol.

Love Is Like A Butterfly }i{

http://mariposaslittlecorner.blogspot.com/

skbeal's picture

That's what I have Gloria,

Submitted by skbeal on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 14:27.
That's what I have Gloria, but mine is in a pot, so I suspect that may account for why mine has grown taller and less bushy. I do know that they love hot weather....But I am not sure whether or not mine haven't bloomed because I had to move it to my patio....It still gets a lot of sun, but there is a balcony that hangs over the patio, so that filters the light a bit........The flowers are gorgeous, and from what I've seen in researching this plant, the blooms appear directly off the stems -- not as a little stem that comes off of the main ones -- if that makes any sense.
Gloria's picture

Two plants

Submitted by Gloria on Wed, 09/10/2008 - 07:27.
Susan, the pic is of two plants growing together and is why it looks bushy. Both grew tall and if separated would take away from the bushy look. I wonder if I had pinched them back a bit in the top when they were small ..if it would have helped to fill them out more and stopped them from growing so tall??
Gloria's picture

hibiscus

Submitted by Gloria on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 13:51.
I was going to show a picture of mine but it seems that pic posting is not working again from the reply button...wonder if it works in "Add Content?"
skbeal's picture

I think it's also called

Submitted by skbeal on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 13:18.
I think it's also called African Mallow.....and I have it too..........and I still have no blooms although mine is well over 5 ft. tall..................I just keep hoping it will bloom before it gets cold. I don't know whether it takes a year to get blooms or not.......................I have noticed that it seems to need a lot of water, though. Treva also mentioned that hers hadn't bloomed yet.
Gloria's picture

Hibiscus

Submitted by Gloria on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 13:28.
Thanks for the information about this hibiscus. I also have one growing from seeds sent to me. It's about 4 foot now and no blooms yet. I also have a couple of small ones in a pot that I am going to winter over inside....just incase the big one doesn't make it through. I'd sure like to see a bloom before our first frost.