How To Keep Hibiscus Blooming?

Hibiscus are very popular plants, not least because of their beautiful flowers! If you are wondering how to keep Hibiscus blooming, we are here to help!

Let’s learn about they Hibiscus’ famous flowers, and what you can do to maximize the blooming time of your favorite plant.

How Long Do Hibiscus Blooms Last?

Hibiscus are a “flash in the pan” flower – they bloom beautifully, but they don’t last too long!

In many cases, Hibiscus can bloom in the morning and the flower will be wilted by the afternoon.

With some different types of Hibiscus, the blooms can last between one and three days, but in general they will all be over by the evening.

But, some types of Hibiscus bloom for longer! A tropical Hibiscus can bloom year-round, given the right conditions.

Sometimes, if the autumn is mild following a good summer, your Hibiscus can surprise you with a second flush of flowering after the initial one has died down.

When this happens, it can feel like you’ve had Hibiscus blooming in your garden for months on end!

Even though each flower only lasts a day, there will be so many of them that you will hardly notice. And, they’re so beautiful that you won’t mind that they don’t last!

How Often Do Hibiscus Bloom?

It is a beautiful flower that comes in many different colors, and will brighten up any border or garden pot.

Hibiscus, like most plants, have a yearly bloom cycle. This lasts for around a month, and flowers generally only last for a day.

But fear not – this clever little plant will produce so many of them that you will hardly notice the ones that die!

Some hybrid species are being bred whose flowers last a little longer – but even these will only last for 3 days at the most.

Your Hibiscus will put on an annual show, starting when the weather gets warmer in your area.

In some cases, this flowering season can last for a long time, even into autumn if the weather has been particularly mild.

When Does Hibiscus Bloom?

There are a fair few plants in the Hibiscus family, and they do tend to bloom at different times – some are perennial, ie they flower once a year, while some are tropical and will grow all year round.

All the different types of Hibiscus share a common bloom time – they will flower during the mid to late summer.

This blooming season will generally last for between 3 weeks to 1 month, possibly slightly longer if conditions are warm and mild into the autumn.

Alternately, you may notice your Hibiscus blooming as early as late spring – again, provided the conditions are right for it with a mild, warm year.

Your Hibiscus may have a second flush of flowering in late autumn, provided it has been a warm year and the autumn is a mild one.

Why Is My Hibiscus Not Blooming?

• Hibiscus like it to be warm, and sunny – after all, they originate in tropical areas where it is always hot! If your Hibiscus is not flowering, chances are it is not receiving enough sunlight. If you can move it to a direct sunlight position, you will notice an increase in blooms.
• Hibiscus are heavy feeders – they must have enough nutrition to fuel all those pretty flowers, right? Check your Hibiscus’ fertilizer routine. If it is not getting enough Potassium it will not bloom as much, or as vibrantly.
• Although Hibiscus like to be kept damper than many other plants, they will not cope wit their roots being too soggy. Are you watering your Hibiscus too much? Excessive watering will cause the entire plant to become sick, which will detract from the blooms.
• Too much sunlight can damage plants, even those that really like to be kept in the hotter part of the garden. If your Hibiscus is getting so much sun that the plant is getting scorched, it will not produce those beautiful signature blooms. No plant can produce flowers if it’s stressed from getting burnt – it may be an idea to find a way to keep your Hibiscus shaded.

How To Make Hibiscus Bloom

There are ways to make your Hibiscus bloom brighter, better and longer than it normally would. Let us count the ways!

Water, water, everywhere

Your Hibiscus plant likes a lot more water than most other plants. Watering it more will help it flower more – both more vigorously and more beautifully!

Give it a bit of shade

These plants like to be hot, but getting scorched will not do them any good at all. Give your Hibiscus a bit of partial shade occasionally, especially if it is struggling in a full sun position,

Offer more nutrients

This plant is a thirsty feeder, so making sure it has all the correct feed is essential. Dig out some special Hibiscus feed, or make your own – as long as this plant gets plenty of nutrients it should do well.

Remember to dead head

Leaving spent blooms on the plant will prevent it from growing new ones.

Dead head your Hibiscus regularly, not only to improve the look of your garden, but also to improve the likelihood that you will have good flowers the following year.

Check for bugs

There are a good few insects that love to prey on Hibiscus, and if you have an infestation your plant will not be able to bloom well.

If you notice creepy crawlies on your plants, treat them with one of the many natural remedies, or wash them off or simply remove by hand.

Here’s a video taking you through the many different ways you can help your Hibiscus to bloom even more:

Final Words

How to keep Hibiscus blooming is a question often asked by gardeners, and one that we can help you with.

Hopefully you now have a better idea on how to make the most of your Hibiscus flowers – and maybe even how to keep them blooming for longer, so you can enjoy a beautiful garden for even longer.