Hibiscus tree vs. shrub

16 years ago

I had a tropical shrub for many, many years. It was about up to the ceiling and maybe 6' wide. It was so large I had to tightly wrap it in "2" bed sheets to get it through the doorway to bring it in and out of doors each spring and fall. What a back braker!! For what ever reason it died last year. Bummer. Maybe of old age, it was like 10ish years old. Sad to see it go but on the other hand kinda relieved. That baby took up way too much space!!

Anyways...

I have now fallen for 2 beautiful yellow hibiscus at Steins. Your choice being tree or bush form, deep buttery yellow with red eye or solid lemon yellow. Which to choose?? Is the tree form basically the bush which has just been sculpted and trained? Therefor being cared for the same way? I would sure love another but would keep it a little more condensed!

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Comments (3)

mehearty
16 years ago
Spamolla, I absolutely LOVE my hibiscus tree form. In a garden full of roses, hydrangea and lavender, it's the show stopper.

Generally hibiscus tree forms are shrubs pruned and trained into tree form. The result is stunning. But they may require a little extra work, though not much. With my hibiscus shrubs, I can let them grow like crazy and occasionally prune so they don't get floppy after a rain. With the tree form, I have to prune just about every year. But the branches grow really fast (18" a year I think). The reason you have to do that is because without lower branches holding everything up, the branches can get floppy after a few hard rains. It makes for a real ugly look.

Get the tree form! It sounds perfect for your garden.
spamolla
Original Author
16 years ago
I agree. Tree it is!
Saturday is when I saw all those beauties. Loaded, loaded, loaded with buds! They had just been delivered and were being unwrapped but I just couldn't make up my mind which to get. Tree or shrub??

So I go back today to purchase the tree form and...
They ALL look like they're half dead!!! WHAT THE? I mean they are drooping so badly like they haven't been watered in weeks! So I run to another Steins where they also just had some delivered. Same damned thing! My guess is they had come from a nice warm, comfy, cozy home and then were transported to an outdoor greenhouse and had forgotten their coats. Yep, I bet that's it! It hasn't been awful chilly at night but still down in the low 40's. I think a bit cool for the tropicals. Well I reluctantly walked away. I'm gonna give them the week to see how they recover and we'll see about a new home for one of them then.
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condo_gardener25
16 years ago
That's a bummer! I live in MD, and a local DJ liquidators had some shrub and tree types. Since I (obviously from the S/N) live in a condo, the tree was best for me. I'm still learning the ropes for indoor hibiscus care but it has a ton of buds, and seems to be doing well. Solid Red blooms, they last about 3 - 4 days, but fairly slow to open... although I am not complaining since it's indoors.

Love the tree form! If you find one definitely get one!