How to Propagate Hibiscus? Introduction to Two Propagation Methods

Hibiscus

The scientific name of hibiscus is actually Zhu Jin, also known as Chinese rose. As the name suggests, hibiscus originates from China. Because it has the advantages of diverse flower colors and a long flowering period, many people are willing to propagate it for viewing in their courtyards. So what are the propagation methods for hibiscus?

Hibiscus

I. One Propagation Method for Hibiscus: Cuttings

When taking cuttings, first use a bamboo chopstick (or thick iron wire) to poke holes in the sand surface before inserting the cuttings, so as not to bruise the bark of the cuttings. The spacing between cuttings should be about 4 cm, and the insertion depth should be 2/5 of the cutting, not deeper than 1/2, and not shallower than 3 cm. After inserting, spray with a watering can until thoroughly watered, so that the cuttings and sand soil are tightly bound. To retain moisture and warmth and improve the survival rate, the top of the cutting bed should be covered with glass (or plastic film), placed in direct sunlight, and should also be shaded.

1. Management After Inserting

The cutting bed should be placed in a warm place with sunlight. For pot or box cuttings, use empty flower pots to raise and support them, and place them on a heated surface. This can increase the bottom temperature of the cutting bed and encourage the cuttings to root faster. The cutting temperature is best at 20°C-25°C. With proper management, roots can form 20 days after cutting. In hot weather, lift the glass cover and spray water on the leaf surface 1-2 times a day to ensure the leaves do not wilt from lack of water. If a large number of water droplets are found on the glass, the glass should be slightly offset to allow air circulation. When new leaves have unfolded and are growing vigorously, indicating that roots have formed, the glass can be gradually opened and spraying reduced, to toughen the seedlings and enhance their adaptability.

2. Management of Potting

About 40 days after cutting, preparations for potting can be made. The flower pot should not be too large; generally a clay pot with a diameter of 15 cm is used, and later it can be gradually replaced with a larger one. The potting soil should preferably be sandy loam rich in organic matter. Before potting, first cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with broken tile pieces, and lay a layer of coarse-grained soil on the lower layer to ensure smooth drainage. Then plant the seedling, fill with soil, firm it, and water to complete the potting. Finally, place the flower pot in a cool place to let it "recover." Afterward, gradually expose it to sunlight, and after about 10 days, it can enter routine management.

Hibiscus

II. Another Propagation Method for Hibiscus: Grafting

This method is mostly used for precious varieties that are difficult to propagate by cuttings, and can also produce plants that bear flowers of different colors. Grafting hibiscus should be done during the peak growing season, with spring being the best, because after survival the plant has a long growing period that year and can develop fully. Under greenhouse conditions, grafting can be done in all four seasons.

The rootstock is mostly selected from varieties that are easy to propagate, grow robustly, require rough management, and have strong adaptability. Generally, the pink trumpet variety is mostly used as the rootstock. The rootstock should be propagated by cuttings in advance and kept ready. When grafting, first consider whether the scion and rootstock are similar or consistent in growth speed, branching pattern, internode length, and flowering time. If multiple varieties are grafted together, also consider whether the flower shapes and colors match reasonably and are bright and beautiful. Grafting methods can include cut grafting, cleft grafting, and approach grafting. Generally, the simple and easy cleft grafting method is mostly used. The scion should be selected from robust shoot tips, and its thickness should match the rootstock. Retain the terminal bud and 2-3 leaves, and cut the lower part into a wedge shape. Cut off the top shoot of the rootstock, split it appropriately in the middle with a sharp knife, then insert the wedge-shaped scion and position it straight, aligning the cambium, then bind tightly with plastic tape and place indoors away from direct sunlight. Maintain appropriate humidity to prevent the leaves on the scion from wilting. The scion can be covered with a plastic bag. About one month after grafting, survival can be observed. After survival, gradually remove the plastic bag and increase light.

1. Transplanting and Care

After hibiscus roots, pot it. Prepare the potting soil with 4 parts sandy loam and 1 part manure soil, mix evenly. Cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with tile pieces, place base fertilizer on the bottom layer, then add the mixed soil and plant the seedling, water thoroughly, water once a day, and shade it to let it recover. After recovery, place it in a place with ample sunlight. After 2-3 years of cultivation, repot it. Repotting should be done in late spring and early summer when it is moved outdoors.

2. Field Management

For both outdoor and indoor cultivation, hibiscus cuttings should be shaded in the early stage, maintaining relative humidity of 85%-95%, with temperature controlled at 18-25°C, ensuring a certain amount of light, applying fertilizer once every half month, moving into the greenhouse at the end of October, with room temperature controlled at 15-22°C, beginning to pay attention to ventilation, and applying less or supplemental fertilizer. Temperature is very important in the management of hibiscus; it affects the length and number of flowers. In summer there are many flowers and the flowering period is long; when the temperature is low there are fewer flowers and the flowering period is short.

Interested flower enthusiasts might as well try propagating flowering plants of different genera together, so that one tree bears flowers of different colors and types. That would be even more eye-catching, and for garden areas it is also a method to increase the ornamental value of hibiscus.

How to Grow Hibiscus: Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Hibiscus

I believe friends who have been to the Nanning Convention and Exhibition Center in Guangxi will be impressed by the shape of the exhibition center. The dome of its main building is a huge blooming hibiscus, and its 12 petals carry deep meaning, representing the 12 ethnic groups living in Guangxi loving and supporting one another. So what great charm does hibiscus have that made the main shape of the exhibition hall based on it, and what are the cultivation methods and precautions for hibiscus? The answers will be revealed below.

I. Brief Introduction to Hibiscus

Hibiscus, also known as Zhu Jin flower, is native to China and belongs to the evergreen shrubs. Its branchlets are cylindrical and sparsely covered with stellate soft hairs. The corolla is funnel-shaped, the petal edges are obovate, and the flower color is mostly bright red, though there are also colors such as rose red, light red, or light yellow. As early as ancient times in our country, it was quite popular among literati and scholars, and it is an ornamental flower with a long history. However, due to the characteristics of hibiscus, it is not suitable for growing in the home; on the contrary, a balcony is a good choice.

II. Cultivation Methods for Hibiscus

Hibiscus is a strongly sun-loving plant and likes sunlight the most. It should be grown outdoors in a place with ample sunlight, and attention should be paid to keeping the winter temperature between 12°C-15°C. Slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.5-7 is most suitable.

There are two propagation methods for hibiscus: cuttings and grafting.

1. Cuttings: This can be done from early spring to late autumn, mostly from May to October. Although it can also be done in winter in a greenhouse, the survival rate is higher during the plum rain season. The cuttings should preferably be selected from one-year-old, semi-lignified shoots.

2. Grafting: This can be done in spring and autumn. Grafting techniques are mostly used for hibiscus varieties that are difficult to root by cuttings or root slowly. Either branch grafting or bud grafting is suitable.

III. Precautions for Planting Hibiscus

Hibiscus likes warmth and humidity, tolerates shade but not cold or frost, and is suitable for growing in slightly acidic soil that is sunny, well-ventilated, fertile, and loose. The following discusses the precautions for hibiscus in three aspects: site selection and land preparation, repotting and pruning, and pest prevention.

1. Site selection and land preparation: Choose a sunny, warm, and humid place, and apply appropriate fertilizer and loosen the soil.

2. Repotting and pruning: Every year in early spring in April, the potted plant needs to be moved outdoors, but before that the pot needs to be changed. The new pot needs fresh culture soil, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied; a little phosphate fertilizer can be added at the bottom of the pot. Also, to maintain sufficient nutrients for new branches, some overly dense curly fibrous roots need to be pruned, and appropriate pruning and shaping should be done to make it more beautiful.

3. Pest prevention: Hibiscus is mainly affected by pests such as scale insects, aphids, cottony cushion scale, and red spider mites. You can buy pesticides targeting these pests, dilute them, and spray them on the leaf surface at a certain ratio to kill them, once a week. After two to three treatments, the pests can basically be eliminated.

I believe that after reading this article, everyone has gained some understanding of how to grow hibiscus. Why not grow a pot of hibiscus and put theory into practice?

Cultivation Methods for Hibiscus, Key Points for Growing Hibiscus

Hibiscus is a very easy flower to grow. It has the characteristic of blooming on new shoots, so it needs frequent pruning while keeping up with water and fertilizer; only then can it bloom continuously during the flowering period. Hibiscus likes warm, humid, and sunny environments, and does not tolerate drought or frost. North of the Yangtze River it must be grown in pots, and in winter it must be moved indoors to overwinter (if there is heating indoors and the temperature reaches above 15°C, it will continue to bloom).

It can adapt to various soils, but fertile, loose, weakly acidic soil is best. For site selection and land preparation, choose a sunny, warm, and humid climate, and fertile, loose, well-drained, weakly acidic soil.

The suitable growth temperature for hibiscus is 15-25°C, and from October to March of the following year it is 13-18°C. The winter temperature must not be lower than 5°C, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Below 0°C it is prone to frost damage, but it can still grow normally at high temperatures above 30°C.

After Frost's Descent and before the Beginning of Winter, it must be moved indoors, because hibiscus does not tolerate frost. The overwintering temperature should not be lower than 5°C, to avoid frost damage; and not higher than 15°C, to avoid affecting dormancy. When the weather is colder, it can be covered with paper or plastic film for warmth. Just after moving indoors, windows should be opened for ventilation every day during the day, and attention should be paid to changes in the dryness and moisture of the potting soil, with appropriate watering. On the coldest days, watering helps prevent frost damage, but fertilizing should stop.

Hibiscus is a strongly sun-loving plant. During the growing period it needs sufficient light to grow and bloom normally. If light is insufficient, buds are prone to drop, flowers are small, and flower color is dull; but when sunlight is too strong, the plant can suffer sunburn, so appropriate shading protection should be provided.

During the winter, the pot only needs to remain slightly moist. Generally, water once every 5-10 days, and the amount of water should not be too much, to avoid root rot caused by a low-temperature, high-humidity soil environment. In the dry winter climate of the north, phenomena such as pale yellow leaves and dry leaf edges may appear, so attention should be paid to increasing indoor air humidity. Methods such as spraying and washing the branches and leaves or covering with plastic film can be used to increase the air humidity around the plant and create suitable humidity conditions for its growth.

Management is also very important. When moving it outdoors to a sunny place in early May, management work such as strengthening fertilizer and water, loosening the soil, and weeding should be carried out. Apply a thin liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days. When watering, pay attention to the dryness and moisture of the potting soil; too dry or too wet will affect flowering. Management after autumn should be cautious, and attention should be paid to applying less fertilizer later, to avoid sending out autumn shoots. Autumn shoot tissue is tender and has weak cold resistance, and will suffer frost damage in cold weather.

Before moving it outdoors in April each year, it should be repotted. The soil should preferably be loose, fertile sandy soil. When repotting, fresh culture soil should also be used, some overly dense curly fibrous roots should be cut off, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, and a little phosphate fertilizer should be added at the bottom of the pot.

After moving it outdoors, prune it. Except for retaining 2-3 buds at the base of each branch, cut off all the upper parts. Pruning can promote new branches, growth will be more vigorous, and the plant shape will also be more beautiful. After pruning, appropriately control water and fertilizer.

After moving indoors in winter, if indoor ventilation is poor and light is insufficient, it is prone to damage by aphids and scale insects. Attention should be paid to improving the ventilation and light conditions of the indoor environment and combining this with chemical control. When there are few scale insects, they can be gently brushed off with a brush. The main pests of hibiscus are aphids, scale insects, cottony cushion scale, and mites (commonly known as red spider mites). These pests all belong to piercing-sucking pests. That is, they use their mouthparts to pierce the leaf surface or epidermis of the plant and suck the plant's sap.

First, replace with fresh culture soil; second, cut off some overly dense curly fibrous roots; third, apply sufficient base fertilizer, and add a little phosphate fertilizer at the bottom of the pot.

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 hibiscus, so management work such as strengthening fertilizer and water, loosening the soil, and weeding should be carried out.

Move it outdoors to a sunny place in early May. This is also the growing season for hibiscus, so management work such as strengthening fertilizer and water, loosening the soil, and weeding should be carried out. Apply a thin liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days. Watering should depend on the dryness and moisture of the potting soil; too dry or too wet will affect flowering.

The flower pot must be sufficiently breathable. When choosing a flower pot for hibiscus, select an unglazed earthenware pot or wooden barrel pot with sufficiently good breathability. For nutrients, do not apply a single fertilizer only; complete nutrients should be provided. For light, the best is 8 hours of sunbathing every day.

Make hibiscus bloom more. For potted hibiscus, it is best to use unglazed earthenware pots or wooden barrels (pots). These two kinds of flower pots have good breathability, making it easy for the hibiscus root system to breathe and absorb water and fertilizer.

Make hibiscus bloom more. It is best to use homemade fertilizer alum water for fertilization; it is well absorbed and takes effect quickly. When using it, be sure to add water to dilute it, and it must not be too concentrated, to prevent root damage. If you are worried that fertilizer alum water has an odor, you can put an appropriate amount of vinegar or orange peel into the bucket to reduce the odor.

Make hibiscus bloom more. The reason most northern households fail at growing hibiscus is that it does not overwinter safely and freezes to death. Because hibiscus is a southern tropical summer flower that likes sunlight and does not tolerate cold, the northern climate is cold, and home flower growing also has no conditions to build a greenhouse. Therefore, whether hibiscus can overwinter safely is the key.

Make hibiscus bloom more. After spring begins, the temperature gradually rises and hibiscus begins to sprout. To make hibiscus bloom continuously in summer, attention must be paid to pruning its branches and removing buds in time.