Types and varieties of hibiscus

Hibiscus grows in almost all corners of our planet in all its diversity and splendor. These unusually beautiful flowers of the Malvov family in the natural environment are found in annual and perennial forms, tree-like, shrubby and herbaceous, indoor varieties are widespread. According to some estimates, representatives of this family number from 150 to 300 species.

Hibiscus are ornamental plants from the Malvov family. They are cultivated for the sake of flowers, which are distinguished by exceptional beauty and variety of forms, thanks to these qualities, the plant is especially popular among gardeners. The first mentions of hibiscus appeared in ancient Greece, where it was known under the name "mallow", nowadays it is often called the "Chinese rose". Malaysia is roughly the birthplace of hibiscus, but there are theories according to which the plant appeared in China, India or Korea.

In the natural environment, hibiscus is represented in most cases by shrub molded, their height sometimes reaches 3 meters. Hibiscus stems are gray. The plant has a dense green crown and many large flowers with translucent petals, the shades of which can be very diverse - from disposable to rich crimson. There are even red varieties, and more recently, "Florida" hibiscus were bred, a characteristic feature of which are bright blue flowers.

In terms of the number of varieties, hibiscus are among the most numerous group of plants in the world: sabdariffa, Sudanese, Chinese rose, schizopetalus, hybrid, trifoliate, red-leaved, royal - just to name a few. Flowers can be deciduous and evergreen, perennial and annual, trees, and shrubs. By the nature of growth, herbaceous, tree-like and varietal hibiscus are distinguished.

Treelike include, for example, the Syrian rose, which is grown in the form of a small tree. This plant can also be branched and undersized, or it can look like a single-stemmed tree, which grows up to 5-6 m under comfortable conditions. Herbaceous hibiscus is a low-growing bush with erect, very strong shoots, large leaf plates and large flowers, their size in some cases reaches 30-40 cm.

Herbaceous plants can be annuals or delight with their bright flowering for several seasons. Annual forms die off every autumn, but in spring, with the onset of heat, new shoots appear from the roots and lower buds. Perennial hibiscus are much more attractive, they are terry and multi-layered, however, under uncomfortable conditions, such a plant quickly degenerates into the simplest form.

Shrub hibiscus is a fairly slow-growing deciduous flower with numerous branches. Flowering is very abundant throughout the season, the flowers are large - 25 cm in diameter. Of the most popular varieties of hibiscus, the following are also distinguished.

• Hibiscus trifoliate - a low-growing plant, the height of which is 75-85 cm, the flowers are light yellow, with an interesting purple core, the diameter is 3-4 cm. It blooms in the morning, immediately after noon the buds begin to “fall asleep”. The total flowering time is about a month.

• Tree hibiscus - a very unpretentious type of hibiscus, characterized by resistance to frost and unfavorable natural factors. Depending on the variety, the flowers can have different shades, fresh buds bloom every day. Most often, the plant is planted in the form of a hedge; with proper care, it often reaches 2.5-3 m in height. Flowering lasts from June to October.

• Syrian rose - a very beautiful ornamental plant, it represents the brightest and most saturated color palette from milky white to rich crimson, in nature you can even find two-color varieties. In the open state, the diameter of the flower is 8-10 cm, while they are double or simple. However, for the first time such a plant blooms not earlier than in the third year of life, sometimes even later.

• Hibiscus mutable - is a spectacular deciduous shrub. The trunk is upright, the length in comfortable growing conditions is about 3 meters. The species received its name due to the inconsistency of the color of the bud - it first has a whitish tint, but gradually turns into pink. The leaves are large, lobed.

• Chinese rose - an evergreen hibiscus, its peculiarity is elongated leaves that grow up to 15 cm, and a brown bark. This species includes a large number of varieties, they can differ from each other in the degree of terry, color and size. Flowering is observed from spring to late autumn.

Among Russian gardeners, the most popular varieties are Laluna, varietal, Duke de Brabant, Snow Queen, Ardens, and Angel Wings. Among the herbaceous hibiscus, the following are distinguished.

• Copper King - this is a fairly compact bush, it grows up to 1.2 m and no more. The crown is round. The leaves are openwork, reminiscent of maple in their shape, the color is dark green, but depending on the level of illumination and the temperature background, it changes color. Flowering is long, the flowers are rather large, the diameter of each is 25-30 cm, the tones of strawberry mousse are pale pink with darker pink stripes. In the middle, the flower takes on a red, almost crimson hue.

• "Crenberry Crash" - lush, spherical shrub, green mass begins immediately from the roots, the length is approximately 90-120 cm. The foliage is feathery, green in color with pronounced purple veins. The diameter of each flower reaches 25 cm, the shade of the petals is rich, burgundy with dark stripes.

• "Old Yella" - a fairly strong bush with developed shoots. The height of an adult hibiscus varies from 100 to 120 cm, foliage growth begins immediately from the roots. The leaves are shaped like maple leaves, in bright light they acquire a noticeable purple hue. The flowers are large, 30 cm in size, cream or white, the core is usually red, the petals are wavy.

The following varieties can be distinguished from shrub hibiscus.

• "Ardens" - a shrub of a deciduous type, reaching a length of 2.5-3 m. It is formed by analogy with standard crops. Flowering is quite abundant, long-lasting, dense. Terry petals, pale pink-white or lavender. The flower diameter is 14-15 cm.

• "Blue Satin" - another sprawling shrub, in comfortable conditions it can reach a length of 5-6 m.It is usually formed by a stem, therefore, in the first year of life, all unnecessary shoots are removed - this allows you to make the bush a rather compact tree. Flowering is long, the flowers are large - up to 15 cm, shades of azure or cornflower blue, while the color saturation directly depends on the level of illumination - the brighter it is, the deeper the color.

Please note that almost all types of hibiscus are adapted for growing at home, in which case they retain their decorative effect, but their size is much smaller.

Growing hibiscus at home cannot be called a simple and easy task - this plant requires maintaining a special microclimate and constant feeding. Any irregularities in the irrigation regime, temperature changes, lack of illumination, and even a slight change in the angle of incidence of illumination - all these factors can lead to the shedding of flower buds.

That is why caring for this plant should be as thorough as possible - only in this case the green pet will delight you with abundant and dense flowering.

Hibiscus loves bright areas, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. For him, a bright area is chosen, but protected, so that at noon it is slightly darkened. In outdoor conditions, this is achieved by planting near large trees, and at home, you can use a film on glass or a small screen-shutter.

Indoor hibiscus in cold weather need lighting, they need at least 9 hours of light per day, so many breeders use phytolamps - they can be luminescent or LED, the second option is preferable, since in this case the air near the flower does not heat up and does not dry out. Ordinary lamps can be used, but then they must be located at a distance not less than 50-60 cm from the plant.

For plants grown in indoor conditions in the phase of active life (spring and summer), the optimal temperature will be 22-25 degrees. With the onset of September, it needs to be reduced to 15-16 degrees, and in winter it is worth creating a temperature background of 13-14 degrees - such a habitat will allow the flower to fully show its decorative effect, and also leads to the laying of high-quality flower buds.

Hibiscus feels best in high humidity - it contributes to a longer, more abundant and very lush flowering, which is why in the hot season, the basis for caring for a flower is spraying it. These events are held 2 times a day - in the morning and also in the evening. In spring and autumn, spraying can be reduced - one procedure in 2-3 days is quite enough.

You also need to take care of apartment varieties when the heating season comes - then the humidity level in the room drops sharply, the air becomes dry, which has a most detrimental effect on the foliage, it becomes wrinkled and deformed. To avoid this, in addition to spraying, it is necessary to periodically turn on a humidifier or indoor fountain.

If neither one nor the other is not, then you can put a container of water near the flower. But it is not worth fighting dryness with the help of excessive watering - the plant tolerates stagnation of water in the soil extremely poorly.

The plant loves water, so in the summer it needs to be watered quite abundantly and often - a lack of moisture leads to wilting and falling foliage. At the same time, be careful - waterlogging causes waterlogging of the soil and often causes fungal diseases of the root system, which can even lead to the death of the plant. In winter, the flower is watered a little less often. Irrigation water must be soft - spring or settled, if you use tap water, the chlorine contained in it will lead to yellowing of the leaves.

Hibiscus are very demanding on the quality of the soil and the presence of nutrients in it, which is why the plant requires frequent feeding, especially in spring and summer, but fertilizers are not needed in winter. As for the composition, here you can use mineral store preparations, alternating them with organic dressings (for example, a highly diluted mullein solution).

The following diseases can cause great damage to hibiscus.

• Non-infectious chlorosis - this pathology becomes a consequence of a deficiency of nutrients, such as iron, magnesium and potassium. In this case, the plant stops blooming, the leaves quickly turn yellow and fall off.
• Infectious chlorosis - occurs due to damage by microorganisms and fungi, which leads to a general lethargy of the flower.
• Burn - it becomes the result of direct ultraviolet rays and manifests itself in the formation of large spots on the sheet plates.
• Vascular wilting - is a consequence of fungal infection. This disease is quite difficult to treat and usually leads to the death of the hibiscus.

As for insect pests, then the greatest danger is fraught with aphids and spider mites. They suck out all the vital juices from the green parts, as a result, the plant shrivels and withers. Aphids can be easily noticed upon close examination of a flower, but a spider mite is more like dust and therefore it is often impossible to determine the cause of the death of a plant. To avoid harm caused by parasites, it is necessary to spray the crop and provide air access, as well as to carry out preventive treatment with Actellik solution.

Let us dwell separately on some of the intricacies of growing garden forms. Unlike indoor varieties, they require regular crown molding and shelter for wintering. Perennial hibiscus should be pruned every spring. This is important in order to remove all dead branches, as well as for the purpose of forming the crown. To make the bush as lush as possible, you can cut off young shoots until summer.

And, of course, hibiscuses require shelter for the winter, since growing this plant outdoors is possible only if the soil temperature in winter does not drop below 20 degrees. To avoid freezing of the flower, the trunk is insulated for the winter with spruce branches or a frame covered with agrofibre is built. However, at the same time, there is a high probability that rodents will settle there in winter, or the bark will begin to rot. Experienced gardeners recommend, if the flower is not tall, at the end of October, rearrange it in a tub and leave it for the winter in a cellar or other cool place.

For more information on hibiscus, see the next video.