Potted tropical hibiscus (yard, leaves, plant, pruning)

[greatblueheron]

Have had this plant for years....where I live now I must bring in inside to overwinter. All leaves fell off this past winter, a bit unusual.

Now the plant is still not putting out leaves but the branches are all green and living when tips are broken to check status.

What could be wrong???

[terracore]

You said you had it several years. Some of the newer hybrids only live about 5 years.


Hibiscus love to be pruned and often respond well to a good pruning. Your plant is already defoliated it might respond to pruning a good 1/3 to 1/2 of it off. When we prune ours we often time prune a good 80%. Sometimes our goats have gotten into the yard and eaten them down nearly to the ground and they have always bounced right back.


Tropical Hibiscus Q&A

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

Have had this plant for years....where I live now I must bring in inside to overwinter. All leaves fell off this past winter, a bit unusual.

Now the plant is still not putting out leaves but the branches are all green and living when tips are broken to check status.

What could be wrong???

Maybe nothing. Inside if treated correctly it will go dormant and then start to push out new growth. Maybe patience is all you need. I had the same thing with a dinner plate hibiscus and it came back eventually.