Chinese Hibiscus Care
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
An evergreen tropical shrub with large, showy flowers. It is grown in the garden in the coastal belt and in pots in other regions, and brought indoors in winter.
Frost-tender (protect from frost)
Monthly care calendar
Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.
January
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately -1 °C.
February
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately -1 °C.
March
- Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer as the plant emerges from dormancy.
- Pruning: Prune just before the shoots break. Because flowers form on this year's new shoots, hard pruning increases flowering. In spring, shorten the branches by one third; flowers open on new shoots.
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately -1 °C.
April
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
- Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Flowering begins. Apply mulch 5-7 cm thick over the root zone; it conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not press mulch against the stem.
- Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
June
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Fertilizing: Apply the second fertilizer dose during the growing season. Do not fertilize after August; late growth will not survive winter.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Flowering continues.
- Pests & diseases: Check fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water. Check the undersides of the leaves for clusters of whiteflies. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor their numbers. Look for cottony white clusters (mealybugs) in the leaf axils.
July
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Flowering continues.
- Pests & diseases: Check the undersides of the leaves for whitefly clusters. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor density. In hot, dry weather, look for fine webbing and stippled yellowing on the undersides of the leaves (spider mites). Washing the leaves during cool hours reduces the population. Look for cottony white clusters in the leaf axils (mealybugs).
August
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Flowering continues.
- Pests & diseases: Check the undersides of the leaves for whitefly clusters. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor density. In hot, dry weather, look for fine webbing and stippled yellowing on the undersides of the leaves (spider mites). Washing the leaves during cool hours reduces the population. Look for cottony white clusters in the leaf axils (mealybugs).
September
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
- General care: Flowering continues.
October
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
- General care: Flowering continues.
November
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately -1 °C.
December
- General care: Evergreen leaves continue to lose water in winter. Water thoroughly once before the soil freezes.
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately -1 °C.
The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.
Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.
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