Hibiscus’s yellow leaves - Ask Extension
Hello, our hibiscus plants have developed yellow leaves. We have been watering regularly and I have given them coffee grounds, cinnamon and soda. The ...
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Hibiscus’s yellow leaves #873626
Asked June 18, 2024, 2:04 PM EDT
Hello, our hibiscus plants have developed yellow leaves. We have been watering regularly and I have given them coffee grounds, cinnamon and soda. The only information I have found talks about over or under watering. I don’t think either of these are the problem.
Thank you,
M
Delaware County Ohio
Expert Response
https://www.realsimple.com/why-are-my-hibiscus-leaves-turning-yellow-7724679
This article covers a number of pertinent items for the care of a hardy hibiscus, not the florist favorite that cannot survive outdoors in winter.
Your plant is growing in a pot. Is it a florist grown indoor plant? If not, then I would ask if you have thought about growing this possibly hardy hibiscus in the ground where the conditions would be different in many ways from in the pot?
If it is not a hardy hibiscus, (Hibiscus moscheutos) then there are other considerations. For example, have you repotted the plant recently? Does the pot have good drainage holes that are not blocked by soil? Perhaps you could pull the plant out of the pot, check on the condition of the roots…are they growing round and round and seem potbound?
Maybe a repotting is in order. Use soil less mix, either based in coir (shredded coconut fiber) or peat. Amendments might include perlite, vermiculite and bark chips. Fertilizer for your plant could be an all purpose type of slow release product with not too much nitrogen since you are hoping for flowers rather than a lot of leaves. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth while phosphorus and potassium contribute to buds and flowers. The other amendments you have added may not give the plant what it needs. Checking the nutrients in the small pot might not be feasible, but starting from scratch with new soil less mix and a controlled supply of fertilizer might help.
If you need more information about hibiscus or fertilizer or soil you can go online and add “edu” or “extension” to your word search for reliable university based information.
Please get back to us if you need additional resources or ideas.
This article covers a number of pertinent items for the care of a hardy hibiscus, not the florist favorite that cannot survive outdoors in winter.
Your plant is growing in a pot. Is it a florist grown indoor plant? If not, then I would ask if you have thought about growing this possibly hardy hibiscus in the ground where the conditions would be different in many ways from in the pot?
If it is not a hardy hibiscus, (Hibiscus moscheutos) then there are other considerations. For example, have you repotted the plant recently? Does the pot have good drainage holes that are not blocked by soil? Perhaps you could pull the plant out of the pot, check on the condition of the roots…are they growing round and round and seem potbound?
Maybe a repotting is in order. Use soil less mix, either based in coir (shredded coconut fiber) or peat. Amendments might include perlite, vermiculite and bark chips. Fertilizer for your plant could be an all purpose type of slow release product with not too much nitrogen since you are hoping for flowers rather than a lot of leaves. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth while phosphorus and potassium contribute to buds and flowers. The other amendments you have added may not give the plant what it needs. Checking the nutrients in the small pot might not be feasible, but starting from scratch with new soil less mix and a controlled supply of fertilizer might help.
If you need more information about hibiscus or fertilizer or soil you can go online and add “edu” or “extension” to your word search for reliable university based information.
Please get back to us if you need additional resources or ideas.
Hello,
This is a potted hibiscus from Oakland nursery. We get them every year. It was potted on Mother’s Day. Is it possible that the few nights of 40 degree weather shocked the plant and it just needs time for recovery? It was doing very well before that.
It seems reasonable that your tropical plant was adversely affected when exposed to cool temperatures. Leaf drop often happens when indoor plants are brought outside or vice versa. The dramatic change in temperature causes a stress reaction and leaf drop is a result. If this is the case then the plant should recover over time. Gradually exposing an indoor plant to cooler or warmer temperatures, sun light, etc., is always recommended. Hope this is the answer.
