I am very fortunate to have a number of beautiful hibiscuses around my yard. Hibiscus flower year-round where I live, so it’s a bit of the tropics every day. They are, however, prone to White Fly, aphids and a host of other problems. I am good about watering and fertilizing and I’ve been rewarded, so far.

Above is a Fiji Island Hibiscus I bought from Florida. I was advised to keep the plants in the pots that they had arrived in but found much more success planting them out. I don’t think that I have enough moisture here in California to compensate for the loss via leaf evaporation. Florida is much more humid and can get away with keeping the plants pot bound. I am making a hedge around an orchid tree. I am guessing it will grow in, in about 2 more years.

Hibiscus arnottianus immaculatus is a treasure-it’s endangered with very few plants left in the wild. Found only on Moloka’i, I nursed this from an 8” cutting to a 4 foot by 4 foot bush. Besides it’s lack of red in the flower proper, it has a scent! One of a but handful of hibiscus to have any fragrance, I planted this next to my front door and I am always grateful for its welcoming perfume.