Hibiscus syriacus Starburst Chiffon

Planting Advice for Hibiscus

• Grow in a moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered position in full sun.
• Dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you're planting and mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to re-fill one the shrub is in place.
• We've found that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges tend to grow in a circle round the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through.
• Before planting soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain.
• Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots.
• Add Mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish quicker.
• Place your shrub in the hole at the same level at the pot.
• Refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling).
• Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball and water well.
• Mulch around the base of the plant.

Aftercare Advice

• Water regularly and keep the area free of weeds.
• Hibiscus can be bare of leaves right up until May, so keep it well-watered and it will burst into life when ready!

Pruning Advice

• Prune back two or three buds in the late winter months or early spring to encourage larger flowers the following summer - if the shrub is left unpruned, it will continue to produce numerous blooms, but they will often be smaller in diameter. Hibiscus flower on the current season's growth, so pruning encourages them to flower prolifically.
• Trim any dead or damaged growth each year in early spring.