hibiscus seed pods...big bounty

I was at Home Depot looking at the hibiscus. I lifted up a pot and was delighted to see
hundreds of seed pods all over the platform and the floor!!!!

I am going back with a bag- my purse wasn't big enough! (They're nice at my store)

Cool. Did you go back and get more? What color was the hibiscus??
:) Donna

I have been back a few times! I don't even know what color they will be- they were scattered all over the ground.

But last weekend I was passing some hibiscus at Home Depot that were like nothing I have seen before. They were huge multicolor doubles. I had to fish around for those seed pods!

Wow....lucky you!!
:) Donna

It will be exciting to sprout these seeds, not knowing what's what.

No kidding...keep us posted.
:) Donna

Will do!

Oh goody! You also know what to do with the seeds if you have too much to plant!
;) Donna

Yes, PerennialGirl, seeds aplenty to share! Also cyberageous, there is the 1ST Annual South/Central Fla RU February 2005! I'm thinking plant swapping since I don't mail those out. But seeds are always good. I have one pink hibiscus that doesn't look very good right now. Don't ever remember seeing seed pods on it, though. Just looked it up on PlantFiles and seed collecting info portion is blank/unknown, tell us. It says propagation by cuttings. Will someone adopt the hibiscus plant and get us the info on seeds? Checked some of the other varieties and people have posted about the seed pods. What do they look like? : )

Oh goodie!
:) Donna

Yep, I will go on a hibiscus seed quest. I am wearing big pockets today to Home Depot! I need 2 hibiscus plants for my walkway.

I read in Dave's Garden about the seed pods and went outside to see for myself and low&behold...there they were. When the hibiscus falls off the little cup thingie (don't know the names) it leaves that empty cup on the hibiscus bush for a few days. I get them that way at home.

After a few days, those empty "cups" drop off. If ya look inside to the very end, there is a little pod. It's really small but if you open it you will find tiny seeds.

I am going to the plant swap too. I am still trying to figure out what to bring tho.


Donna- don't they have any Home Improvement or garden stores that you can raid up there? If not, let me know and I will share with you.

cyberageous, we have Home Depots here to but I've never seen seeds on them. That would be wonderful if you could. I can trade.
:) Donna

Sure, Donna I can send you some. But also check the hibiscus again at Home Depot. Ya won't see seeds, you will see empty little "cups" that held the flower.

Okie, dokie I'll keep my eyes open more next time I'm at Home Depot.
Thanks, Donna

We don't have garden centers here either, but when I go to Indy, and shop I have never seen any seed pods or they would lose them LOL

I am not sure you are collecting seeds. The tropical ones do not make seed. The seed pods on the hardy ones are big and brown and crack open to reveal round seed that rolls.I thought I uploaded a picture to the plant files at one time with the seed inside.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/52524/
Dave also has an image of the seed pods of his there
Here is a picture of the hibiscus mutabilis (confederate rose) seed. It has fuzz around smaller seeds.
Good luck.
Most tropicals root pretty easily from a cutting.

Boy, Windy- I hope you aren't gonna bust my bubble. I've had a blast collecting the hibiscus seed pods. I opened one on my desk last night and it sure looks like seeds in there- little seeds the size of pepper flakes. I will try these in a little pot and see what happens before I spend a whole lot of time opening the rest. Thanks for the heads up and wish me luck!!!

Oh yeah, I have let my hibiscus grow out so can get some decent cuttings & root them for the roundup!

OOPS! If this is a hibiscus, I think you have saved something other than seed. Put a few of them in between a moist paper towel and let them sit for a while. I really have never seen a hibiscus seed of any kind that looked like pepper flakes. If they are seed something should happen in that paper towel.
Do you have a digital camera? It would help if you could either scan a picture of them or take a pic and post it.

cyberageous you've made my day. I've been over wintering a hibiscus my son gave me for mothers day and the silly thing keeps putting on flowers, but I thought because it was most likely a hybrid that it didn't have any seeds. I never saw any before. But now I looked where you said and low and behold there they were. I've been throwing the cup things away when they fall off. I could kick myself, I should have known better. Your a hero for this. lol

That is so sweet luckpup! I will try the papertowel thing today, Windy.
If anything I have had a blast collecting them.
Oops! That reminds me- I hae to go to home depot today- I need to wear big pockets!!!! :-)

I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale. I remember my mom taking a bucket of hibiscus trimmings from yard work over to a friend whose new house was virtually devoid of landscaping. Not sure what they did between me collecting her trimmings and the beautiful hibiscus soon surrounding their house, but they came from those cuttings!

I am also going to try trimmings.

With the dogs close to having their babies and working at the farm AND making a living, I haven't had much time to do any yard work.

I have been making bedding for the dogs so they won't insist on using my bed for their babies.I won't be coming out to the farm for awhile, not until the babies are born and big enough to do the 2 hour trip.
That will be total chaos in the van!!!!!

Anyway- that's when I will get my yard work caught up.