Growing a H. moscheutos from a cutting?

2 years ago

So my folks have a Hibiscus Lord Baltimore that is getting muscled out by a couple of pines. I can't dig it out because of the tree roots. So last year, my dad tried to get cuttings to root. He did, but each cutting only had one or two thin roots by summer's end. In northern Michigan this hybrid H. moscheutos typically doesn't "wake up" until late June or early July. The cuttings my dad had never survived the winter. My suspicion is that it had not had enough time to develop a large enough root system to make it. (The growing season is only a few months up there with frosts commonly beginning in mid Sept.) I was wondering if I take a cutting and -- assuming I can get some roots -- can keep it alive and growing through the winter, perhaps next spring it could get planted out in a new spot in their yard. It would then have more time to establish a stronger root system. Should this be "doable" or will the dormancy be impossible to stave off for one winter?

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hc mcdole
2 years ago
I ordered some cuttings of the double flowering confederate rose (H. mutabilis) from eBay last year. Ten cuttings. Nine did appear to root as they all developed some side shoots from the stem. It was hard to keep them watered properly during winter so I think they all died this spring. I would try again though to see if it is me or the plants. Anyway you should try it again and keep them indoors this winter until danger of frost is over before planting outside. Good luck and keep us up to date on your adventure.

My single flowering confederate rose I had growing in the back but were getting smaller and smaller each year due to all the shade from our own trees and our neighbor's weed trees. I finally dug the last two up and the roots were thicker than I ever imagined. Almost as thick as a medium sized zucchini. I moved those to full sun and they are very vigorous and grow like they are on steroids.

If I could find a very effective way to keep the mallow sawflies off my rose of Sharon and hardy hibiscus, life would be grand.
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