I wasn't sure if I should post this as a response to Sandy's Hibiscus message since it's somewhat related. (I'm new both to these boards and to gardening). Anyway, my question is, can a hibiscus be brought back from the dead? The previous owner of our house left us a potted hibiscus. I left it outside through several frosts because I thought it was an annual (told you I was new to gardening!). It definitely looks dead (leaves dried and shriveled, etc.) There's no way to "resurrect" it by severe pruning or making a cutting, etc., is there? I can post a picture to show its condition if that would help. Thanks so much!

Do you happen to know what kind of hibiscus you have???
Eliz,

There's the tropical kind,
IF it's that, I am not sure??

IF it's the kind that's like a bulb that dies to the ground every year, it should return..

IF it's the tree like form, it should be
fine again in LATE spring/early summer!!!

Weezie

P/S Welcome to The Garden Helper's Forum by the way, we are very glad you found us!!!

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

I don't know what kind of hibiscus it is, but here are some pictures. Hopefully someone can tell! I forget if I mentioned that it was potted, I'm not sure if that means anything. When it was in bloom this summer, it had reddish-orange flowers that were just solid, no speckles or much shading. I tried to show in the first picture that it has a woody stem/trunk and branches.
And here is a close-up of the leaves.
Hope the pics show up okay. Thanks for all your help and the warm welcome to the forum!
Elizabeth

Eliz,

quote:

---

IF it's the tree like form, it should be
fine again in LATE spring/early summer!!!

---

Yours is the tree form..

Shouldn't be a problem...

What I might do if it were mine.....
is find a Southern exposure area next to the house... put the pot and all on the ground there.
Then I would get some chopped up leaves, (If you dont' have any, try your town compost pile, they should have some mulched stuff there.)
And spread it around the base of the plant/pot..
Only up to the pot level, don't really put it on top of the tree stem, that only invites pests and disease's to over winter on or too close to your tree...

I am a zone 5 here in Western New York, and mine that I have of the tree form hibiscus, doesn't leaf out until very, very late....
You will think it's dead for a long time.......
I did thought I'd killed mine the first winter.
but they leave out late...
*A quick little test if you start to get scared that you killed it, is come spring time around May, clip part of the ends off of one branch, taking as little as possible, but some of the ends may die too, but cut a snip off, and see if the interior of the branch is tan and green ring around just under the bark.. if there is, it'll be coming soon....

As long as you keep the base of the pot out of the winter weather/wind and even if you can keep it covered with snow, even reappling it if it melts off, will keep it insulated....

Usually what kills a plant in a pot is cold winter winds and then a thaw, then more freezing wind/weather and then a thaw, it's the roots can't take the up and down part...

Hope this helps a little and if I"ve confused you, please don't hesitate to ask further, some times I get a little lost in my explainations, and my typing fingers

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

that's what mine look like too, but they are in the ground. I have some that are3 years old and some that are a year old. Both will probably dye back and I'll trim all the way back to the ground.

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I try to take one day at a time -- but sometimes several days attack me at once.
-Jennifer Unlimited-

I'll see if I can get one, fog just rolled in thick as your leg here, but I might have one with blooms in my folder, I'll see

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I try to take one day at a time -- but sometimes several days attack me at once.
-Jennifer Unlimited-

I would sincerely appreciate seeing the
pictures if you both have them!!!
I am just soooooooo curious?????

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

I have a Rose of Sharon. You can prune them where you want to. I cut mine back about 1/3 of the way early in the spring. I want mine to become a shrub. I have both singles and a double. I propogate the cuttings. They are very easy to root. I just put mine in a pot of good mix and in a few months, you have a good start. The colors I have are white,light pink, dark pink, and purple. Some people consider them a weed, as they do self sow!!!!! I like them a lot!!!!

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