Syrian hibiscus, the world in your garden
Hibiscus syriacus
- Exposures
- Sun, Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 7b (-15°C ≤ T° < -12.2°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Genus
- Hibiscus
- Species
- Syrian Hibiscus Hibiscus syriacus
Want to travel the world without leaving your garden? Plant a Syrian hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus). This plant from the Malvaceae family comes to us from China and Taiwan. Grown for its colorful flowers that are a reminder of the tropics, it is also the national flower of South Korea.
How can you identify the Syrian hibiscus, or garden hibiscus, Hibiscus syriacus?
Hibiscus syriacus is a shrub that grows up to five meters tall. In the wild, it has a bushy growth habit. However, it is sometimes pruned into a tree shape, with an upright growth habit.
The dark green leaves appear late in the season, once the soil has warmed up. Oval or lanceolate in shape, they have serrated edges. When the cold sets in during the fall, the foliage falls, revealing a trunk and branches with light gray bark.
The Syrian hibiscus reveals its full beauty in the summer. From July through September, it is adorned with short-lived flowers. Each flower lasts only a few hours, but the wilted blooms are quickly replaced by new buds. The trumpet-shaped flowers measure up to twelve centimeters in diameter. In the botanical variety, they are mauve and have five petals.
Commercially available hybrids feature white, red, blue, or pink flowers, such as those of hibiscus syriacus 'Lavender Chiffon Some are single and pristine, while others are double, with a marked center. However, in all varieties, the stamens are clustered in the center and form a tube, topped by the pistil.
Once flowering is complete, the fruit appears. It is a brown capsule, slightly open, containing hairy seeds.
Hibiscus plants are harmless to animals and humans. Their edible flowers are said to have medicinal properties; they are believed to help relieve coughs and cure sore throats.
Our care tips
Hibiscus syriacus are easy plants. Once they have taken root, they require little care. Just remember to water them daily in hot weather.
Watering
Water when the surface of the substrate is dry, using room-temperature, non-calcareous water. If you can, use rainwater. If you don't have rainwater, water with mains water that has been left to stand.
After watering, empty any stagnant water from the saucer. It could rot the roots.
Misting
Your Hibiscus syriacus hates wet foliage. Don't mist the plant.
Repotting
Every year in the spring, repot your Hibiscus syriacus to give it more space.
Obtain a perforated pot. Place a bed of clay balls or gravel at the bottom for drainage.
Then pour in a layer of soil. Choose a rich substrate, such as potting soil for flowering plants. Plant hibiscus syriacus and fill in.
Press down and water copiously to eliminate air bubbles and facilitate rooting.
Fertilization
To promote the growth of your Hibiscus syriacus, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.
Apply a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants every two weeks to encourage flowering.
Prune
Your Hibiscus syriacus blooms on this year's growth. Prune generously (about 20% of the shrub) to encourage abundant blooming.
Using clean pruning shears, cut the side shoots eight to ten centimeters from where they emerge. Shorten the other branches by one-third.
Remove any twigs pointing inward to allow sunlight to reach the plant.
Planting
When the risk of frost has passed, it's time to plant.
Find a sunny spot protected from the wind.
Dig a hole three times the size of the root ball. Meanwhile, soak your Hibiscus syriacus to rehydrate it.
Add clay balls or gravel to your garden soil to improve drainage. Line the bottom of the hole with compost, followed by a layer of substrate. Plant your shrub in the center. The root ball should reach ground level. Fill in with your mixture and tamp down.
Water copiously to eliminate air bubbles and encourage rooting.
Taking cuttings
Locate a young shoot of the year, still supple but without flower buds.
Using a clean, sharp tool (pruning shears, scissors, etc.), remove a section at least 10 cm long. Cut just above a node.
You can dip the end of the stem in cuttings hormone to increase your chances of success.
Remove the lower leaves. Keep only one or two leaves at the top.
Prepare a bucket filled with potting soil. Make a pre-hole with a pen and plant your cutting in the center. Push the branch in deeply, so that two-thirds of the graft is buried.
Place your cutting in the open air, in partial shade and protected from frost.
Water regularly to keep the substrate moist.
Disease / Threat
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Exposures
- SunHalf-shade
- Substrates
- Calcareous earthHumus soilSandy soil
- Planting methods
- Open groundIn potsIn tubs
- Tags
- BeginnerFloweryHardyEdible flower
- Origin
- Southeast Asia
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 7b (-15°C ≤ T° < -12.2°C)
- Leaf color
- Dark green
- Flower colors
- WhiteRedRoseYellowOrangeVioletPale pink
Discover plants from the same family
Marsh hibiscus
Hibiscus moscheutos
Chinese Rose Hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
