Herbaceous hibiscus - planting and care, photos of blooming beauties
Huge flowers immediately draw attention to themselves with their size and bright colors. This is herbaceous hibiscus, planting and care (photo below) for which is our topic today. Unlike the tree-like hibiscus, which only sheds its foliage for the winter, this one dies off completely. Only its underground part leaves for the winter, and in the spring many new branches grow from the roots. They form a lush shrub with a height of 50 cm to 3 m, depending on the variety.
But the main advantage of the herbaceous variety is its flowers. They are much larger than treelike varieties, in addition, the flowering period of plants lasts longer. Just imagine, the diameter of a flower can reach almost 30 cm! How not to plant such a luxurious bush in your garden?
Herb hibiscus - planting and care, photo
Herbaceous hibiscus is also called marsh for its love of moisture. Or pink mallow - apparently, its flowers very much resemble it in their shape.
Where to plant
In order not to spoil the flowering and prevent crushing, choose a solar flower bed for the plant. Slight shadow is acceptable, but keep in mind: the critical minimum sun exposure is 6 hours. If the bush is less illuminated, it will impair the quality of flowering. As for the soil, it is better that it be loose and nutritious.
The worst enemy of the swamp hibiscus is drafts, from which it begins to hurt. He also does not like acidic soil.
How to care for a plant after planting
Pink mallow is an unpretentious plant. Its only requirement is to provide the bush with moisture. Do not let the soil dry out, otherwise it will shed foliage and buds.
The rest of the care consists in simple procedures:
- In early spring, feed the flower with organic matter. In the summer, make a couple of mineral complex dressings to maintain flowering. Add some ash in the fall.
- For tall varieties, arrange for support so that the branches do not break under the weight of the flowers.
- Watch out for pests - hibiscus is very fond of ants, aphids and ticks. As soon as they appear, immediately treat the bush with an insecticide.
Bushes do not need pruning. It is enough to pinch the top if they do not branch well. For the winter, you can cut off the aboveground part - it will die out anyway. Or leave it for the spring. The plant hibernates well, but the trunk circle does not hurt to cover it with spruce branches.