Hibiscus

Hibiscus is my favorite flower. I never get tired of looking at them. I have so many pictures of hibiscuses that I must share with you. They have the most amazing color combinations and petals I have ever seen on any flower. I think part of my fascination with hibiscus is the amazing array of pinks, purples, yellows, and oranges in their petals. It often looks like a flower that God gracefully painted with a brush.

I have found that hibiscus do very well out here in Southern California. They love heat and they love water even MORE in hot weather. They like to be fully hydrated. In our 90+ degrees heat, I water it every other day with deep watering. In the 80s, I water it every 3 days.

I fertilize them with a special water soluble hibiscus fertilizer every other month. In addition to that, I also give them a little epsom salt every now and then to replenish the leaves with magnesium. My soil is claylike, I find that adding epsom salt helps the leaves to stay nice and green. I also give it a bit of compost on top every few weeks.

This is a high maintenance plant. It attracts a lot of pests and I have to spray it with neem oil to keep those creatures from infecting my flowers. As much work as it sounds, I think their beautiful blooms outweigh the hassles of caring for them. See for yourself the beauties that are growing in my yard this year.