Hibiscus plants are striking. In addition, they produce colorful blooms. However, these flowering shrubs need some attention.
Cutting them back is a surefire way to promote the lateral bud’s growth. You will discover when to prune hibiscus shrubs in this post.
Pruning helps rejuvenate the hibiscus after its winter nap. Besides, it encourages the plant to stay vigorous and captivating.
If you plan to cut back your hibiscus plants, keep reading.
Therefore, you will know the right time for trimming the hibiscus. Also, this guide shows terrific pruning techniques.
Contents
Pruning Preparation
Before doing some pruning, you should learn about a few rules of thumb. For robust hibiscus plants, you need to trim them by at least half.
On the other hand, for delicate growers, prune them by about a third. Giving hibiscus plants a clean cut is crucial.
That means you must use the proper tools.
If you deal with large branches, try using a saw or lopper. Trimming an outward-facing bud is permissible since the plant will generate new growth from any trunk part.
Keep in mind that the hibiscus plant must possess a clean cut. Additionally, it helps lower the disease risk.
When to Prune Hibiscus Plants
The timing greatly depends on gardeners’ locations or regions. Usually, people cut back hibiscus plants during the spring months.
You can lightly trim hibiscus shrubs in early fall or late summer. However, you should not do so in late fall or winter.
In warm climates, people do hard pruning in September. However, gardeners in colder areas trim their hibiscus plants when the last frost has gone.
Cutting back the hibiscus helps encourage new growth. If you insist on pruning in a frost-prone area, the frosts will burn off growth surely.
Do not wait until late spring to trim the plants.
Pruning hibiscus in late spring will keep the plants from producing many branches. They will likely develop fewer flowers, too.
Remove weak or dead growth once the hibiscus plants start sprouting in spring.
The fact is spring becomes the ideal time to do hard pruning. Just prune your stunning hibiscus plants to revitalize them for summer blossoming.
Feel free to pinch the branch tips.
Moreover, do not forget to prune the tips throughout the spring. By doing so, you will be able to enjoy bushier growth.
How to Prune Hibiscus in Spring
Now that you have known when to prune hibiscus in spring. You must comprehend how to trim hibiscus plants too.
Before cutting back hibiscus plants, grab clean and sharp pruning shears. It would be better if you sterilize them using alcohol gel.
This method keeps the disease of affected hibiscus branches from spreading.
Speaking of how and when to prune hibiscus, you must trim the plants about 1/3 of the way back.
When trimming the hibiscus plant, leave 2-3 nodes on its branches. It will undoubtedly help stimulate new growth.
You should only make cuts right above the hibiscus nodes. Just leave about 0.6 cm or ¼ inch. Get rid of any unhealthy, dead, or weak growth.
When pruning hibiscus, consider trimming leggy or crossing branches. In addition, discard the branch that grows toward the plant’s center.
Usually, temperatures get perfectly warmed at the end of spring. It is time to offer extra care to hibiscus plants by raising the amount of fertilizer.
When it comes to fertilizing hibiscus plants, you can either opt for a hibiscus fertilizer or the organic one.
Make sure the fertilizer is somewhat rich in potassium and nitrogen. Once you have gotten your hands on the fertilizer, follow all the written directions.
In a warm climate, people fertilize their hibiscus plants 30 days before trimming. That means they do so in August.
Furthermore, it ensures the plants are ready to power away.
Southern gardeners can hard prune hibiscus plants in September or during the springtime. Besides, the light pruning is doable in February or late summer.
If gardeners follow these rules of thumb, the hibiscus plants will reward them with fabulous flowers.
How to Prune a Hibiscus in Summer
You may still wonder when to prune hibiscus plants. As I said earlier, you can cut back the plant lightly in late summer.
Southern growers typically light prune their hibiscus plants in February or right after the flush of blooms.
When pruning hibiscus in summer, cut back the plant by 30 cm or about 12 inches. Trim every branch by 300 mm.
Therefore, the plant can generate another flush of beautiful blooms in fall.
Pruning the hibiscus itself is very therapeutic. Moreover, hibiscus plants come in two forms: bushes and patio trees.
Patio Tree Types
People in warmer regions can prune the patio tree types almost year-round. However, you should not do pruning on scorching hot days since it may make young leaves burn.
Just grab a pair of handy pruners.
Then, choose the spot right down the internode and trim about an inch or 2.5 cm above the leaf break at an angle.
You must trim the hibiscus about 30-40% of the plant.
Hence, you will have a hibiscus tree with an impressive, even shape. Besides, it should feature blooms and buds.
Hibiscus Bushes
Let’s talk about hibiscus bushes. Pruning is vital since it promotes a better bud break. If your hibiscus plant is uneven, give it an excellent clean cut.
Cut back the hibiscus bush right above the leaf break. Trim it at an angle and take 30% of the hibiscus off.
Pruning hibiscus bushes is not difficult. Make sure you use nice and sharp pruners. Also, do not forget to wash yours between each cut.
By washing the pruners regularly, they will remain clean. Furthermore, trimming hibiscus plants is so much fun.
It makes the hibiscus bushes healthier too.
When to Trim Hibiscus for Winter Months
You may be questioning when to prune hibiscus. Also, you may not know whether you should trim the plant in the fall or spring.
Let’s work on the right time to cut back a hardy hibiscus.
There are two popular perennial hardy hibiscus varieties: swamp rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) and scarlet rosemallow (Hibiscus coccineus).
These cultivars die down to the ground when winter arrives. Also, they produce new growth in spring.
Scarlet rosemallow and swamp rose mallow are hardy in zones 4/5 to 9. They appear in spring slowly, though.
Northern gardeners must allow their plants to withstand the winter because it helps boost cold hardiness.
Trim the perennial hibiscus varieties in early spring or late winter. You need to leave about 6″ or 15 cm of stem intact.
Therefore, you can remember the location while protecting the plant from unwanted digging.
Another perennial hardy hibiscus is the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). The plant does well in zones 4/5 to 8/9.
The Rose of Sharon flowers in late summer. You can trim it either in early spring or late winter before growth starts.
Discard dead branches of the Rose of Sharon. Also, prune lifeless tips above the bud or to a vigorous side branch.
Do not do unnecessary extra pruning. You only trim the Rose of Sharon to manage its size.
Pruning Hibiscus for Winter Indoors
Hibiscus plants bloom during the summertime. Moreover, they spice up suburban landscapes and city porches.
When the chilly breezes of the fall hit, you should bring the pots and planters indoors. It protects them against daytime chills and night frosts.
Evergreen tropical hibiscus plants rarely require winter pruning. They only need some trimming if you have nipped them back.
However, you have to shape the deciduous ones.
Unlike hardy hibiscus plants, tropical hibiscus cultivars like Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. will not stop growing.
This makes winter pruning quite challenging. Here are the steps for pruning a hibiscus indoors during the wintertime.
- Once the hibiscus’ flowering slows to a standstill, you can prune dead or damaged branches.
Also, trim unruly branches. Do pruning in a warm, bright spot out of direct daylight.
- Prune the branch that requires cosmetic surgery. Besides, you need to look for growth nodes.
They are nodules on the branch where the foliage emerges.
Scrape a bit of the tender bark to ensure the branch is not dead. If the wood is moist and green, it is still alive.
On the other hand, if the wood becomes hard and white, keep searching for growth nodes.
- Move a node that sits on the branch side to the new node. The new branch will emerge directly from it.
Trim the branch’s length by a third. Choose a node with a growing leaf because it will likely encourage vigorous new growth.
- Remove the unruly or broken branch’s end about ¼ inch (0.6 cm) above the selected node at a keen angle.
When trimming a hibiscus, you must use a razor-sharp pruner.
Do not forget to disinfect the blade between pruning. Thus, the pathogens will not spread over branches.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, hibiscus is an impressive plant, yet it demands attention. Pruning helps revive it after going dormant in winter.
Trimming is good for hibiscus and you since it is therapeutic.
To make your plants delightful, you must know when to prune hibiscus. Last but not least, implement the best methods when cutting them back.