The first one opened today. This was a new plant for me this year. Next year should be better.
Fireball Hibiscus
Shirley: It's a beauty. Looks almost too heavy for the stems. Maybe I can add Fireball next year.
I am anxious for the Plum Crazy to bloom. At least the blooms aren't getting roasted from the heat like last year.
My Plum Crazy has little buds, but I didn't plant it in the best location. I'm hoping it will show me its stuff and I'll move it later.
Brugie I really like this one. How big are the blooms? I've been enjoying my Moy Grande and the Fireball looks similar. Jenny
Brugie: Other plants have been wanting to crowd out my Plum Crazy. Looked just tonight and looks like one bud is starting to form. Next year will be a better year for the Plum Crazy, as mine just has the intial one stalk that it started out with.
Jenny, it is a huge bloom. I've not measured it, but I'd guess it is probably around ten inches across. I sure wish each bloom would last more than one day though and in the heat they don't do a good job of lasting through that one day.
Deb, mine are also one stalk. I can't wait to see these guys in big clumps.
The Moy Grande is about 12 inches across and also only lasts one day. But I've had one every day here lately. I just bought the plant about a month ago so it will be better next year. Thanks, Jenny
Sounds gorgeous. How about a picture?
Don't know if it is too clear. This is the moy grande.
This is a larger shrub (taken at Wildseed Farms in Fredricksburg)
Shirley,
I love your Hibiscus.
I have a couple of hardy hibiscus but don't know what variety they are ........ I'll have to post pictures when they bloom.
Question .........
I just bought a Hisbuscus moscheutos "Kopper King"
I purchased if because of the leaf color, but pictures in the Plants Database look as if the leaves do not retain the nice red color that the plant I bought has ......... Anyone know about this one?
Wondering how large the flowers are too.
Sorry everyone...I clicked to unwatch this thread and missed you all. I have Kopper King, brought to me as a gift this fall, so I can't answer any questions about it.
Jenny, thanks for the pictures. Looks gorgeous.
Brugie, I have a seed question. Found some seed pods on my Moy Grande. Does anyone know if hibiscus are true to their parent or could it have crossed with my Texas Star? Do I have to chill them or can I plant them anytime? These are probably dumb questions but I need to find out. Thanks, Jenny
Hi Jenny,
I'm growing several Hibiscus including Moye Grande. I collected seeds last year, planted them after a few days of drying and none germinated. I founded out Hibiscus seeds need a period of cold storage to break the dormancy. This year I collected more seeds and stored them in the refrigerator. I'm doing some experiments to see how long the cold storage needs to be before they will sprout. I would recommend you take your dry seeds put them into an envelope or plastic ziplock bag or(an empty film canister works great) and keep them in the frig.
One of the problems with Hibiscus seed is germination can be sporadic. A few will sprout after about 10 to 12 days then a few many more days later. In order to get a more uniform germination rate storing the seeds for the proper length of time will help.
My Moye Grande seeds have been chilled for 48 days as of today. I will be planting some next week to see if they will germinate and keep the rest stored longer in case 48 days isn't long enough. I will post the results when I find out something.
Crosses: Interesting you asked that. I did a cross between Moye Grande and a red hybrid I crossed a couple of years ago between H. coccenius and Lord Baltimore. The seeds were viable and the hybrid plant bloomed for the first time this year. Here is a pic. I've named it H. 'Danabee'
I also crossed Moye Grande with coccenius this year. I will know more about that cross next season.
Ray
PS: the flower of Danabee is 10" across being about the same as Moye Grande, but with a slightly different shade of pinky red.
This message was edited Sep 18, 2004 11:13 AM
Do any of you know where Hibiscus Fireball and Plum Crazy would be available. MY hibiscus Moscheutos from seed are blooming now. Hope it doesn't freeze too soon. Donna
Donna, I did a search for both and found this nursery that carried both Fireball and Plum Crazy. I haven't purchased any plants from the nursery so I don't know about the quality or prices compared to others carring the same plants.
Nature Hills Nursery, Inc.
http://www.naturehills.com/new/product/perennials_subcategories.aspx?catname=Hibiscus
Plant Delights does carry a nice selection of Hibiscus including Fireball. Prices are cheaper than Nature Hills Nursery and I can vouch that PD is a great nursery. I buy plants there all the time.
http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/page34.html
Ray
Ray, thanks for the input. When my seeds get dry I will refrigerate until about Jan. and start them inside. This is my first year with the Moy Grande. Does it die back and will it come back or do I need to pot up and put inside for the winter? My Texas Star dies but comes back from the roots each year.
The red hibiscus is pretty. I hope my seeds turn out like that. Jenny
Jenny you are in the same zone as me 8a. My Moye Grande has come back from the roots for 3 years now and like all hardy hibiscus the stems will die back with a hard freeze. I've heard(I will try it this year) to not cut back the dead stalks all the way to the ground. To leave about 12" or so above ground. Suppose to make them come back next season with more stalks. I have no real proof of that being true yet will try a few of my plants, with and without stalks, to see if there is any difference.
Ray
Thanks Ray.
Brugie, I see you are in zone 5. How do you treat your hibiscus in the winter? Jenny
i have seeds for both the plum crazy and the fireball if any one is interested in trading for other hibiscus seeds, i'll trade ya seed for seed.
i would like the hardy most of all dinner.
email me....
SH1025, I live in zone 5 (Kanas) ..... I have the HARDY hibiscus. I do cut them down in the spring when I do the pampass grass. They've come back every year bigger and bolder. I'm actually going to try harvesting some of my seed this year and see if I can start some new plants...... Other than than I don't do anything special.
nadi, how in the world did you get seed from them? I can't get seed from them or the Baltimores or Turn of the Century. The dinnerplate types, I don't know names, produce lots of seeds and I've never had to do anything with them other than dry and store in a box until spring. I soak overnight, plant, and they are usually up in three days. About 5 or 6 years ago, I grew over 280 of them for a garden tour.
Jenny, I don't do anything to mine. Just cut them back if I'm not pressed for time. However, it is good to leave the dead stalks up so in the spring you know where they are. Once growing the dead material can be removed.
brugie,
it took a couple of years to get the seeds. the first year they would bloom and then the pods would fall off. i did notice that the 2 hibiscus plants i bought from loew's was infected with worms. they hide under the base of the flower when it opens and they eat the bloom right off the stem. when that happened the pods did not mature. so i killed the little beggers and the flowers had pods from then on. the worms did manage to make there way to some of my other hibiscus before i found them.
i also use a bloom fertilizer and that seems to help.
i would die for some of your turn-of-the-century cuttings if you have some??? i will trade you some of my seeds or i may have some rooted cuttings i can send soon.
let me know if you are interested.
I'm sorry Nadi. Maybe my seed problem is due to not having a mature plant. Later on we can talk about trades, but I'm just getting a lot of hibiscus started. Have several new ones this year. At least three are perennial.
no problem. lwt mw know if you want to do some trading later on.
check your soil also. that may be a problem also.
Brugie I don't think its an immature plant, mine is now over 2 years old and doing the same thing. The plant is huge and keeps setting seed pods that fall off before they even begin to mature.
I am watching the few that are left on the plant now that it is done flowering wondering if maybe it was expending so much energy making flowers that it just couldn't do both!
I have lots of other hibiscus next to this that have huge seed pods that have all ready ripened and opened, so I really don't understand this one at all.
The plum crazy from rebel that I got this spring is doing the same thing that the fireball does. It makes these little pods that fall off within a few days!!!
I have been taking cuttings of both, and doing fairly well at rooting them.
I know it won't make you feel any better but I am glad to know its not just mine.
LOL Alice! I guess I'll have to do the cuttings too, but will wait now until next year. Everything is winding down in Iowa now. People have been coming to take cuttings of other plants and we will dig some brugs today that will have new homes. I have a full month of work here and doubt I'll be so lucky to have the time.
Immature seed pods falling off:
This can happen for several reasons. One is because a plant is a sterile hybrid. This is the case with Lord Baltimore. Regardless of how mature the plant is or how healthy it won't set seeds. I've tried self pollination, but none ever set seeds.
Another reason is environmental conditions. Drought, cool damp weather, insect pests all can effect seed pod formation.
Ray