Bring Some Hawaii To Your Back Yard

You can grow a hybrid hibiscus plant in your yard with blooms similar to those of the state flower of Hawaii.
Flowers of this showy perennial open up to 8-10 inches across. They last only a day or two, followed by a succession of new blooms from summer to frost.
These plants are related to the rose mallow, hollyhocks, rose of Sharon and okra.
You can cut off the massive flowers in the early morning and store them in the refrigerator, to keep fresh until needed for making impressive indoor arrangements.
These plants are available at some garden centers or you can order them from a nursery catalog, such as Wayside Gardens, Hodges, SC 29695 (Phone: 800-845-1124).
They come in a variety of colors, such as red, rose, pink, white and combinations of these colors.
Plant several for a spectacular show in a sunny spot when the soil is warm, late May or early June.
Because they grow a long tap root, make a hole 12-15 inches deep for each planting where they’ll get six hours or more of sunshine. Mix one half organic matter, such as compost, cow manure or peat moss with the soil you remove. To this add some wood ashes or bone meal. These plants prefer soil pH 5.8-7.8.
As you fill in the soil around each plant, adjust the crown so it comes to ground level. Firm the soil and water well. Space plants 3-4 ft. apart. They grown 4-5 ft. tall and can spread over 4 ft.
Be sure to keep the soil moderately moist for a few weeks. Then water weekly as needed, Ideally, these plants will thrive in soil that stays moderately moist, but not soggy. Fertilize monthly with a liquid organic plant food, such as fish emulsion.
Mulch the plants about mid June to conserve soil moisture and smother weeds. This can be a few inches of pine needles, hay or dry grass clippings mixed with peat moss.
New plants may not flower the first year, but will start the second summer and bloom profusely in season over many more years.
In the fall after frost hits the plants, prune back the canes to 3-4 inches above ground level. When the ground freezes, apply a 4-5 inch winter mulch over the plants, like pine needles, chopped oak leaves or other organic material that won’t pack down under rain and melting snow.
When new growth shows, in the spring, gradually remove the mulch as the weather warms. Fertilize with a dressing of well rotted cow manure and water it in.
After several years the planting can become over crowed. Spring is the best time to dig out the roots for separation. This will require some careful digging because of the deep tap root. Japanese beetles may be one of the major pest that can be attracted to these plants. You can hand pick them off and drop them into a container or water mixed with a little household detergent. Milky spore disease applied to your lawn as directed, will help to control the grubs.