How to Grow Chinese Hibiscus? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Chinese hibiscus is a famous flower in our country, also known as fusang, fo jin, zhu jin, etc. It is an evergreen shrub of the Malvaceae family, Hibiscus genus. Although its flowers open in the morning and fall in the evening, they bloom continuously, and the flowering period is long, with the most abundant blooms in summer and autumn. Cuttings taken in the same year can bloom the following year. In addition, because it is easy to manage, it has become an important indoor flower. Now let us take a look at the cultivation methods for Chinese hibiscus!
Growth Habits of Chinese Hibiscus
Chinese hibiscus is a strongly sun-loving plant. It likes warmth and humidity, requires ample sunlight, and is not tolerant of shade, cold, or drought. In the Yangtze River basin and areas to the north, it can only be grown in pots, and must overwinter in a greenhouse or other protected area while maintaining a temperature of 12-15°C. If the room temperature is below 5°C, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. Below 0°C, it suffers cold damage. It tolerates pruning and has strong branching ability. It has a relatively wide adaptability to soil, but grows best in slightly acidic loam rich in organic matter with a pH of 6.5-PH7.
Propagation Methods of Chinese Hibiscus
1. Cutting propagation: Cutting is the most commonly used method for propagating Chinese hibiscus. It can be done anytime from early spring to late autumn, with the highest survival rate during the plum rain season. In winter, it can only be done in a greenhouse. The best cuttings are one-year-old semi-lignified ones, about 10 cm long. Remove the lower leaves and keep the top leaves. The cut should be smooth. Insert into a sand bed and spray water daily to maintain high air humidity. Roots form three weeks after insertion, and after 45 days of growth, they can be potted. Generally speaking, Chinese hibiscus propagated by cuttings in the same year can bloom the following year.
2. Air layering propagation: Air layering is mainly used for lignified branches and is relatively common among woody plants. Chinese hibiscus can also be tried with this method. Compared with cuttings, air layering is safer, and at least the plant will not die.
3. Layering propagation: Layering propagation means pressing the branches of Chinese hibiscus into the soil to let them take root, then cutting them off after rooting. The principle is similar to air layering, only with slight differences according to the actual situation. These three methods are all very simple and highly practical, and flower lovers can try them all.
4. Seed propagation: Chinese hibiscus can also be propagated by seed, but due to the special structure of the flower, especially when grown indoors, the natural pollination seed-setting rate is almost zero, so artificial pollination is needed. The seed-setting rate of artificial pollination is 2-5%. Seeds are difficult to germinate because the seed coat is very thick and hard, so seed germination is very difficult. Soaking seeds within a temperature range of 20-25°C with sufficient oxygen takes about 30 days before they can germinate.
Cultivation Methods of Chinese Hibiscus
1. Soil selection and repotting: For potted Chinese hibiscus, the soil should be loose, fertile sandy loam. Before moving it outdoors in early spring each April, it should be repotted. When repotting, do three things: first, replace with new culture soil; second, cut off some overly dense and curled fibrous roots; third, apply sufficient base fertilizer, with a little phosphate fertilizer added at the bottom of the pot.
2. Shaping and pruning: In order to keep the tree shape attractive and produce more flowers, Chinese hibiscus can be pruned and shaped before and after being moved out in early spring, according to its strong ability to sprout branches and tillers. For each branch, leave 2-3 buds at the base, and cut off all the upper part. Pruning can promote new branches, making growth more vigorous and the plant shape more attractive. After pruning, because the aboveground part consumes less, water and fertilizer should be appropriately controlled.
3. Management after moving outdoors: Chinese hibiscus is a sun-loving tree species. In early May, it should be moved outdoors to a sunny place. This is also the growing season for Chinese hibiscus, so management such as increasing fertilizer and water, loosening the soil, and weeding should be strengthened. Apply diluted liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days. Watering should depend on whether the potting soil is dry or wet; both excessive dryness and excessive wetness will affect flowering. Management after autumn should be careful, and less fertilizer should be applied later to avoid producing autumn shoots. Autumn shoots are tender and have weak cold resistance, and will suffer cold damage in cold weather.
4. Move indoors in time: Chinese hibiscus is not tolerant of frost. After Frost's Descent and before the Beginning of Winter, it must be moved indoors to keep warm. The overwintering temperature should not be lower than 5°C, so as to avoid cold damage, and should not be higher than 15°C, so as not to affect dormancy. If dormancy is poor, growth and flowering will not be vigorous the following year. Any furniture room facing south with good insulation conditions can be used for overwintering. When the weather is colder, paper or plastic film can be used to cover it for warmth. Shortly after moving it indoors, open the windows for ventilation every day during the day, pay attention to changes in the dryness and wetness of the potting soil, and water appropriately. On the coldest days, watering helps prevent cold damage, but fertilization should be stopped.
5. Humidity management: Both excessive dryness and excessive wetness will affect flowering. During the peak flowering period in summer, water 1-2 times a day depending on the temperature and whether the potting soil is dry or wet, but make sure to water thoroughly only after the soil has dried, to prevent root rot caused by water accumulation at high temperatures. Watering is best done before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m., to minimize the temperature difference between the air and the water. At noon, water can be sprayed on the leaves and around the flowerpot to lower the leaf surface temperature and maintain air humidity. The flowers of Chinese hibiscus are very delicate, and water should not be sprayed directly on the flowers, otherwise it can easily cause burns to the flowers.