Disinfect the shears with alcohol or bleach before pruning lilac hibiscus.
Previously considered a hibiscus species, the lilac -- or blue -- hibiscus is now classified as an Alyogyne (A. huegelii), a tropical member of the mallow family and a native of Australia. In the United States, the plant is hardy in the Department of Agriculture zones 9 to 11. The evergreen shrub produces purple flowers year-round and grows 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide. To garden with lilac hibiscus, consider using multiple plants to build a hedge along an entryway or around your house. In cool climates, grow the shrub as a stand-alone or flower-border annual. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Plant the evergreen shrub in full sun where the ground drains within one hour of irrigation. Sandy and gravelly soil provide ideal drainage. Make the hole twice as wide as the root ball. Set the plant at the same depth as it has been growing in the nursery.
2. Water the lilac hibiscus until the water reaches its deepest roots at planting. Maintain the soil moisture through the first growing season. Reduce the water in the second year, irrigating the plant to the root zone when summers are very dry.
3. Build a 2- to 3-inch-deep mulch ring around the base of the shrub. Use organic mulch, such as compost or shredded bark, to add nutrients to the ground as the matter decomposes. Refill the mulch pile as needed. The organic material eliminates the need for fertilizers. To give a newly planted seedling a boost, feed it seaweed extract according to the product label.
4. Cut an established lilac hibiscus back to the ground after it flowers for the first time in spring. The shrub recovers quickly and blooms again. Prune the plant to tame the stems back to a tidy form throughout the year. Cut ¼ inch above a bud at a 45-degree angle.
Tags: lilac hibiscus, evergreen shrub
