Hibiscus of some sort...

[JoeH]

Still a mess up top just letting it go nuts this year, dug it out of my back yard. Not sure of the species, but it does seed out pretty well. I need to start picking branches to keep but the Mrs likes the flowers so I am letting it ride.

 

[defra]

Hibiscus Syriacus
I got a big trunk pink flower double layered same species as yours!
Edit leafes look a little bit different tough

 

[JoeH]

It may be some form of swamp hibiscus, I got the parent plant at a church yard sale (remember those?) and of course it was not id-ed. It gets really tall 8-10 feet mostly single canes, not shrubby at all.

 

[Crawforde]

The Florida wild type red swamp hibiscus has leaves that look like cannabis, or Japanese maples.
not many around but there are some out there with all the normal ones.

 

[JoeH]

The Florida wild type red swamp hibiscus has leaves that look like cannabis, or Japanese maples.
not many around but there are some out there with all the normal ones.

very familiar with the wild type swamp hibiscus, this may be a cultivar it has the three lobed leaves and the seed pods like they do.

 

[Carol 83]

I have a couple hardy hibiscus in the garden, but the leaves look very different. My flowers are light pink, I like the dark magenta of yours, pretty.

 

[MrBeto]

I have been trying to get the yellow flowering kind. No luck here locally in Houston..

 

[JoeH]

lmk if anyone wants seeds in the US.

 

[Trenthany]

I have been trying to get the yellow flowering kind. No luck here locally in Houston..

I see yellow a lot in FL. If I can get cuttings I’ll be happy to send a couple once they’re stable if you haven’t had luck by then. Lol.

 

[leatherback]

How do these take to bonsai culture?

 

[Trenthany]

How do these take to bonsai culture?

No clue but I got one that mom gave me. Lol it’s in half orchid bark/lava, half soil, with something else added. Still a very organic mix.

 

[JoeR]

How do these take to bonsai culture?

I'm not aure exactly what species the original poster has but I have an H. syriacus that's done well in a pot. Flowers reduced in size and also changes color. They grow quickly and can be improved in short time, but to get flowers you have to let the shoots grow out of the silhouette and not cut back.

 

[Trenthany]

I'm not aure exactly what species the original poster has but I have an H. syriacus that's done well in a pot. Flowers reduced in size and also changes color. They grow quickly and can be improved in short time, but to get flowers you have to let the shoots grow out of the silhouette and not cut back.

I don’t think you have to with cockleburs, I mean ceasarweed. The ones in the wild will bloom back in the leaves and along the trunk. Blooms are <an inch I haven’t seen ramification really mainly real leggy but it is very hardy. Seeds will last years in an area until the ground is disturbed. Sun, shade, dry (Florida sugar sand hills in the spring when it doesn’t rain for weeks and months), wet, they thrive in the wild near me. So chopping it back to see if it will ramify is definitely an option. I usually mow sthem or spray them and mowed ones will start suckers from the ground and form clusters. Those eventually have to be yanked but grass can out compete seeds/babies so we never mow woods less than 4-6” in the wooded properties and pastures. @tainoson laughed at my response earlier but this is one of the biggest aspects of our property management. We loathe these plants.

 

[JoeR]

I don’t think you have to with cockleburs, I mean ceasarweed. The ones in the wild will bloom back in the leaves and along the trunk. Blooms are <an inch I haven’t seen ramification really mainly real leggy but it is very hardy. Seeds will last years in an area until the ground is disturbed. Sun, shade, dry (Florida sugar sand hills in the spring when it doesn’t rain for weeks and months), wet, they thrive in the wild near me. So chopping it back to see if it will ramify is definitely an option. I usually mow sthem or spray them and mowed ones will start suckers from the ground and form clusters. Those eventually have to be yanked but grass can out compete seeds/babies so we never mow woods less than 4-6” in the wooded properties and pastures. @tainoson laughed at my response earlier but this is one of the biggest aspects of our property management. We loathe these plants.

Hmm I suppose it depends on the exact species. The one I have certainly only flowers on the ends of branches. They can be quite weedy, in fact mine came from what I assume was a trashed nursery tree. It was growing in a pot with maybe only an inch of soil or so, behind my brothers new house when they moved in. The one I have is not native, its the cold hardy hibiscus. We do have native swamp hibiscus though, but as far as i know those die back in the winter to the ground

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Species matters. Well, sort of.
There are several hundred species, some are true annuals, some are die-back to ground perennials, some are weedy-shrubs, some are woody shrubs and a small few are trees. The swamp mallows, are more or less die to the ground perennials, with each year a flush of branches that do not branch, that terminate in flower buds.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and its many hybrids are the tree like tropical hibiscus with the giant flowers of a wide range of colors. This is the hibiscus we think of when we think Hawaii. It is a tree, and will have branches with reasonable amount of ramification. Water Pall has shown photos of his specimen, it is a "pretty good" bonsai, especially as a medium to larger tree. There are dozens of tropical, tree like species of hibiscus, including 7 native to Hawaii. Many hybrids between these other species and H. rosa-sinensis have been made to give rise to the wide range of flower colors now available in what are loosely called "H. rosa-sinensis", but are really complex, multi-species hybrids.

Hibiscus mutabilis - the "Confederate Rose" - this hibiscus is much like H. rosa-sinensis, except it is more winter hardy. Originally from Asia, common as a garden shrub or small tree in southeastern USA. It too has woody branches, and much like H. rosa-sinensis can be grown as bonsai. Not quite as easy to get to ramify as H. rosa-sinensis.

Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus laevis - these are the North American native Swamp Mallows. These are die to the ground perennials. In spring they send up long branches from their subterranean trunks. The branches seldom branch, H. moscheutos has flowers only at the ends of these branches, H. laevis has flowers along the length of the unbranched branches. These swamp mallows have been hybridized recently. Some of the "hardy" giant flowered hibiscus are hybrids involving these 2 species. The hybrids seem to also be die to the ground in winter perennials. Other North American (*including Mexico) native Hibiscus species are mostly die to ground perennials, include: H. denudatus, H. dasycalyx, H. coccineus (Texas Star), H. grandiflorus, H. lasiocarpos, and a few other species. A few of these species have leaves that look marijuana like. Some have leaves that look maple like. Most of these are not good for bonsai, as their die back perennial nature means long branches, without fine sub-branching.

Hibiscus tiliaceus - this is the "Sea Hibiscus" - a pan tropical hibiscus. This is a shrub or small tree that is capable of very dense ramification. There are many famous examples of this species as bonsai from Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is an excellent species for bonsai if you can keep it frost free in winter and give it a long warm growing season. (not particularly good for Chicago). Each yellow flower lasts less than one full day. Similar, though no where near as good for bonsai is H. aculeatus, pineland hibiscus, it is shrubby, winter hardy in zone 8 and warmer, native to SE USA. H. aculeatus I "think" has been used for bonsai, but when I looked I could not find photos, so maybe not.

Hibiscus syriacus - this is the "Rose of Sharon" - it is a zone 5, winter hardy shrub to small tree hibiscus. It has been used for bonsai, branches ramify reasonably well. This is the only woody hibiscus I know of that is hardy in the north. This species definitely has fairly good bonsai potential.

Hibiscus trionum - this is an annual hibiscus, a common old field weed, even in the Chicago area. "Flower of the Hour". The flowers open in morning, and close by mid-day, never to open again. This hibiscus is an annual in climates with frost. Likely a short lived perennial in tropical climates. Originally old world origin, a wide-spread invasive. I first encountered it in soya bean fields. Pretty, ephemeral flowers. Yellow with a dark center.

Hibiscus sabdariffa & acetosella - Roselle - These are the 2 species that either the flowers or the calyx are used to make a refreshing red tea, warm or chilled. This is the key ingredient in "Red Zinger" herbal tea. Hibiscus sabdariffa is also used as a pot herb, and stems as a fiber source, much like jute. Tall stems without much branching.

Hibiscus cannabinus - Kenaf - is a tropical hibiscus that is one of several with marijuana like leaves, it is used as a fiber source much like jute. Tall stalks without branching is the normal state. Not good for bonsai

So which species of Hibiscus you are talking about matters. Some is good for bonsai, some not.

 

[Trenthany]

Hmm I suppose it depends on the exact species. The one I have certainly only flowers on the ends of branches. They can be quite weedy, in fact mine came from what I assume was a trashed nursery tree. It was growing in a pot with maybe only an inch of soil or so, behind my brothers new house when they moved in. The one I have is not native, its the cold hardy hibiscus. We do have native swamp hibiscus though, but as far as i know those die back in the winter to the ground

The one he has is a nuisance weed in FL. Should be a noxious weed it is very very hardy.

 

[HorseloverFat]

lmk if anyone wants seeds in the US.

Ooh ooh seeds in the u.s.? I LOVE hibiscus.. I live in the U.S.!

 

[Crawforde]

Does he have Urena lobata ?
Caesar weed
Small pink flowers.
Terrible weed.
Pic from IFAS

 

[Trenthany]

Does he have Urena lobata ?
Caesar weed
Small pink flowers.
Terrible weed.
Pic from IFAS

View attachment 318735

Nope somehow I switched threads lmao I went to quote original and found out! Sorry!

 

[Clorgan]

Species matters. Well, sort of.
There are several hundred species, some are true annuals, some are die-back to ground perennials, some are weedy-shrubs, some are woody shrubs and a small few are trees. The swamp mallows, are more or less die to the ground perennials, with each year a flush of branches that do not branch, that terminate in flower buds.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and its many hybrids are the tree like tropical hibiscus with the giant flowers of a wide range of colors. This is the hibiscus we think of when we think Hawaii. It is a tree, and will have branches with reasonable amount of ramification. Water Pall has shown photos of his specimen, it is a "pretty good" bonsai, especially as a medium to larger tree. There are dozens of tropical, tree like species of hibiscus, including 7 native to Hawaii. Many hybrids between these other species and H. rosa-sinensis have been made to give rise to the wide range of flower colors now available in what are loosely called "H. rosa-sinensis", but are really complex, multi-species hybrids.

Hibiscus mutabilis - the "Confederate Rose" - this hibiscus is much like H. rosa-sinensis, except it is more winter hardy. Originally from Asia, common as a garden shrub or small tree in southeastern USA. It too has woody branches, and much like H. rosa-sinensis can be grown as bonsai. Not quite as easy to get to ramify as H. rosa-sinensis.

Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus laevis - these are the North American native Swamp Mallows. These are die to the ground perennials. In spring they send up long branches from their subterranean trunks. The branches seldom branch, H. moscheutos has flowers only at the ends of these branches, H. laevis has flowers along the length of the unbranched branches. These swamp mallows have been hybridized recently. Some of the "hardy" giant flowered hibiscus are hybrids involving these 2 species. The hybrids seem to also be die to the ground in winter perennials. Other North American (*including Mexico) native Hibiscus species are mostly die to ground perennials, include: H. denudatus, H. dasycalyx, H. coccineus (Texas Star), H. grandiflorus, H. lasiocarpos, and a few other species. A few of these species have leaves that look marijuana like. Some have leaves that look maple like. Most of these are not good for bonsai, as their die back perennial nature means long branches, without fine sub-branching.

Hibiscus tiliaceus - this is the "Sea Hibiscus" - a pan tropical hibiscus. This is a shrub or small tree that is capable of very dense ramification. There are many famous examples of this species as bonsai from Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia. It is an excellent species for bonsai if you can keep it frost free in winter and give it a long warm growing season. (not particularly good for Chicago). Each yellow flower lasts less than one full day. Similar, though no where near as good for bonsai is H. aculeatus, pineland hibiscus, it is shrubby, winter hardy in zone 8 and warmer, native to SE USA. H. aculeatus I "think" has been used for bonsai, but when I looked I could not find photos, so maybe not.

Hibiscus syriacus - this is the "Rose of Sharon" - it is a zone 5, winter hardy shrub to small tree hibiscus. It has been used for bonsai, branches ramify reasonably well. This is the only woody hibiscus I know of that is hardy in the north. This species definitely has fairly good bonsai potential.

Hibiscus trionum - this is an annual hibiscus, a common old field weed, even in the Chicago area. "Flower of the Hour". The flowers open in morning, and close by mid-day, never to open again. This hibiscus is an annual in climates with frost. Likely a short lived perennial in tropical climates. Originally old world origin, a wide-spread invasive. I first encountered it in soya bean fields. Pretty, ephemeral flowers. Yellow with a dark center.

Hibiscus sabdariffa & acetosella - Roselle - These are the 2 species that either the flowers or the calyx are used to make a refreshing red tea, warm or chilled. This is the key ingredient in "Red Zinger" herbal tea. Hibiscus sabdariffa is also used as a pot herb, and stems as a fiber source, much like jute. Tall stems without much branching.

Hibiscus cannabinus - Kenaf - is a tropical hibiscus that is one of several with marijuana like leaves, it is used as a fiber source much like jute. Tall stalks without branching is the normal state. Not good for bonsai

So which species of Hibiscus you are talking about matters. Some is good for bonsai, some not.

Sorry to jump in - but I always love your explanations! Helped me figure out that my hibiscus marina (rose of Sharon) could turn out alright!