Hibiscus type plant. Why won't it root?

7 years ago

I've had this plant in water for 2 months. It's flourishing. It has a new leaf and now has a flower bud. I've dipped the cutting into rooting hormone twice. Am I just not patient enough? I thought I'd see something by now. I tried to take a picture of the cut end, but I can't get a clear picture. There is absolutely no growth. I'm in zone 5 and this plant grew downtown. The parent plant is 5 ft. high and has been there for 2 years. It flowers, but I haven't been able to find a seed pod so I took this cutting. Here is what I'm considering:

A. Keep in water with rooting hormone. I can't plant it outside for 6 month anyway.

B. Put cut end in wet, soggy potting soil. I'm wondering if being in soil might prompt it to send out a root.

C. Be patient. Patience is a virtue and God is testing you.

D. Enjoy the bloom, but don't expect a root from THIS plant.

E. The plant would rather have a Diet Coke and a grilled cheese, but it's a plant so it's mad and doesn't want to live outside ever again.

Heidi

Featured Answer

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

7 years ago

It will surely die if you stick it in "wet, soggy potting soil"! Instead, a coarse textured, fast draining potting medium would be appropriate.

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Comments (10)

nmushka (7; Virginia)
7 years ago
Worth putting it in soil, or waiting some more.. Or, if this is what I think it is (Hibiscus moscheutos?), just get someone from one of the coastal states (Virginia, NC) to send you seed for postage?
tofi tropic (my posting appear 2hr post-posting)
7 years ago
B+C, (if possible put on top of heat mat if yo have it),D, (might also consider E).

next time try cuttings with heels, or older stem.... good luck there.
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Hi everybody. I guess I should have looked for help here a long time ago, but since I have yet to kill the tree living in my house there's always hope. First off, let me say that I am COMPLETELY IGNORANT about hibiscus. I do have halberd-leaf mallows in the yard, but they're native and don't ask me for anything. The trouble is this: I have a hibiscus that was given to me as a cutting when I was a sophomore in high school, and it has patiently suffered my ignorance for 20 years and is now a 6 foot tree. My lack of knowledge has only slighly improved since I learned just last year that it is a hibiscus schizopetalus after spotting one in a butterfly park down south. It did bloom nicely as a young plant but since then has maybe put out one or two blooms in the past 5 years. Other than keeping it looking a healthy shade of green I am sure I have been doing everything wrong. What do I need to do to coax this plant to bloom? Here's what I know about it: started from a cutting in 85 Transplanted only when it began to show signs of serious decline I live in southern Illinois--it gets put outside in the late spring and brought back in this time of year. We live in deep woods so full sun is a rare thing...good for ginseng, not for hibiscus! In winter it gets a sunny window when indoors. Our house is kept at around 70 during this time. Space is an issue so I was forced to dramatically prune it back every so many years. Currently in a pot approx 13-14 inch diam. Rarely fertilized except at transplant time and then lightly I spoke to a horticulturist at the butterfly park where I spotted this growing and was told never to prune after February. Not a single bud this season. This is almost like a part of the family now since it has made it this far. We decorate it for Christmas for Pete's sake. I just wonder what to do to get it to flower again.
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party_music50
7 years ago
I was thinking green wood cutting, dipped in rooting hormone, into potting mix, then covered in a plastic bag. I did a search and it's what they recommend too. Hibiscus propagation
Logan L Johnson
7 years ago
Since you are in z5 I am guessing that this is hibiscus syriacus. Remove the flower bud, because this takes energy away from rooting. Water is a good way to preserve cuttings until you are ready (I only propagate roses in water) to place them in soil. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and place in a well-draining potting mix (you can buy "cactus mix", this works well, but I make my own) allow the soil to dry between watering, and eventually you will have a rooted plant. You can also see my named selection of hibiscus syriacus here (just click the cultivar name under "hibiscus syriacus"):

https://sites.google.com/site/cccultivar/caldwellhg
Embothrium
7 years ago
Leaf stalks too long for that one. Leaf blades also the wrong shape.
i_like_pi
7 years ago
It looks more like one of the perennial hibiscuses that dies back every winter than H. syriacus.
Logan L Johnson
7 years ago
I was half asleep trying to identify it last night LOL. Definitely hibiscus moscheutos (rosemallow/perennial hibiscus). These are best propagated by digging up the plant and dividing it (much like you would do any other perennial plant).
tete_a_tete
7 years ago
No plant in its right mind would want a Diet coke, so maybe you could give it something like coarse sand instead. If you can find it. Most 'coarse sand' seems to be fine sand labelled as coarse sand and is totally unsuitable. Perlite would be suitable. Potting mix tends to hold too much moisture.

Make a nice fresh cut on the stem just under the node, immediately apply some rooting hormone, make a hole in the cutting mix with a pencil or a stick, poke in the cutting, firm in, spray the leaves and wait.
Logan L Johnson
7 years ago
I typically mix my own, but MG cactus mix works from my experience.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/propagate-hibiscus-moscheutos-25648.html

Hibiscus type plant. Why won't it root?

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

Comments (10)

nmushka (7; Virginia)

tofi tropic (my posting appear 2hr post-posting)

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