Hibiscus Syriacus (Common Hibiscus) #1

[Orion_metalhead]

Grown from seed this year. Leaves all fell off the other day with first freezing temps.

Age: 1yr
Training: 1yr
Width: .26"
Height: 12"

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice,
Right now is the time to put a bend or curve into that trunk, get some wire on it.
Or, in spring repot and plant trunk to leave the ground at an angle.

It will need movement put into it now, or it will be fairly plain and upright later.

There are a few with these as bonsai. They tend to be a little coarse, without twiggy branching, and irregular internode lengths. But they can make a nice enough blooming bonsai.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Thanks for the advice, I was unsure about wiring these now but it does need some movement.

Purely an experimental species for me. Curious to see how they grow, thicken, etc. I know they backbud no problem.

 

[JudyB]

It may even be hard to get low movement into it at this point, but worth a try! At least if you snap it, it seems to grow super fast...

Next time you grow from seed, start the bending process as early as possible, they look more natural when started right away.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Thanks Judy. I did this with some maples and definitely agree getting movement early is the way to go. When i started these seedlings i simply had no idea how to wire.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Never got to this tree last year, but its finally leafing out. Going to let it do its thing in this configuration. Watering will be a little interesting for a bit, but Ill manage.

 

[canoeguide]

Glad to see somebody else trying these. As far as I can tell, this species is pretty bombproof. I've got one that I'm pretty excited about that's just leafing out after a serious root and top prune. @Leo in N E Illinois and others have posted some good info elsewhere on the forums (which you've probably seen).

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Nice! Ive seen some thick trunked rose of sharons in my area, and they nearly impossible to kill. I actually have 2, both from seeds. This one was started from seed last year.

How old is yours?

 

[canoeguide]

How old is yours?

This one was picked up from Lowes at the end of the season last year on clearance for $10. I saw the little wiggle in the trunk and thought I could do something with it.

I left a couple of beefy landscape ones (4-5" trunks) in the ground at a previous residence but it's probably for the best. As far as I know, these don't heal chops or scars much at all so even though it's a slow road, you growing them from seed may be the way to go. Even the one I shared here has a pretty ugly chop on the back :/

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Im surprised you were able to find syriacus at home depot... i thought they are considered invasive and werent sold. They are extremely common in hedgerows around here.

Good to know about the slow healing.

 

[RobC]

I collected 2 from my backyard sometime in March. I kept them indoors after collection and placed them in my garden window facing east so they leafed out earlier than my garden hibiscus. They are back outside now. On the slanted, one root kept popping out so I held it down with 2 rocks (yeah, pardon the noob who doesn’t have wires).



I stuck in water a piece of trunk from above chop, kept outdoors and it started to leaf out so I planted it in a pot a few days ago . I hope it lives.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Ive learned this is an incredibly durable species. No doubt yours will do fine.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Today..



So pretty wild.. took a peak at the tree and to my amazement welll...




Two flower buds! Tree is only 2yrs old from seeds.

 

[canoeguide]

This is looking healthy! I had around a dozen blooms on mine this year which I think are about over now. Out-sized as anything, but a welcome bit of color. Wasps *loved* mine when it was in bloom.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I was not expecting blooms on any of my trees any time soon. I really hope it blooms! That would be totally unexpected.

 

[canoeguide]

Do you know what color flowers the source of your seed was? These also have either single or double flowers, I believe. Mine are single and "blue" (somewhat purple).

 

[shinmai]

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Do you know what color flowers the source of your seed was? These also have either single or double flowers, I believe. Mine are single and "blue" (somewhat purple).

No idea. They will likely be pink or purple or some variant. There are a mix of different colored natives where I got the seeds and there were no flowers on the bush at the time. We will see!!

 

[leatherback]

Nice ones!

Any of you have trimmed and seen wounds close?
I dug two of them, and am now wondering how much of the stumps I wil remove..

 

[AlainK]

I've got the same one as @shinmai in my garden, a cutting I took from across the street in February years ago !