Hibiscus is a large genus of about 200–220 species of flowering plants in the family of Malvaceae. Hibiscus plants are known for their colorful trumpet-shaped flowers, which can be quite large, from 3 to 6 inches in diameter.

Tropical Hibiscus

Tropical hibiscus require warmth year round, and will not survive frosts or freezes of any kind. They can be grown year round in gardening zone 9-10, though cooler zones may grow it in a pot that can be taken inside during winter months. It will require full access to sun with no shade during daytime hours, and rich damp soil that is fully drainable. If using a container to grow hibiscus, be sure it never sits in standing water.

If you bring your tropical hibiscus in during the winter, expect it to lose a number of leaves as it adjusts to the change. Keep it in a cool bright spot and continue watering regularly. When replacing outside, prune to help it to grow. If it does not flower, your species of hibiscus will probably not be able to survive a winter indoors at full health. Try a different species of hibiscus; there are over 250, so you'll have plenty of variety.

You can expect your tropical hibiscus to flower from Spring through Fall, but during the heat of the summer it generally will not flower. Since it blooms on new growth, you may be able to incite flowering by giving it regular fertilizer.

Hardy Perennial Hibiscus

Sometimes called rosemallow, winter hardy hibiscus comes in far less varieties than tropical hibiscus, but is still quite beautiful. It's flowers are flat and large, and come in red, white, or pink. During the Winter, the plant will die completely to the ground, but will come back in the Spring to flower again.

Rosemallow can be grown in gardening zone 4, and require full sun throughout the day. It is not normally transplantable, and does not do well in a container without expert care. It requires water year round, though the area should be drainable. You can expect it to bloom in July-August.

Other Hibiscus

Because there are so many different types of hibiscus, it is important to check directions for growing your individual species if you want to succeed completely in growing your plant well. Hibiscus generally require a lot of attention, though you can get away with hibiscus shrubs if you aren't going to fertilize often.

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