We expect most everyone has grown a hibiscus at one time or another, either tropical or hardy. How many of you have tried the Asian Hibiscus hamabo? This fascinating 8-10′ tall evergreen shrub has thrived in our trials since 2018, and is just now flowering at JLBG for the first time. We had always considered this species tropical, so we were thrilled to hear that it survived as a die back at the SFASU Arboretum in Texas after this springs’ arctic blast of -4F. Dr. Dave Creech at SFASU tells me that it remains evergreen down to 10 degrees F. Has anyone else had experience with growing this outdoors in a cold winter climate?
I’ve had this hibiscus Hamabo for 6 years in Summerville, SC and it is never evergreen. It has been through very mild winters and one severely cold one but reacts the same way: loses leaves very early and they are late to re-appear.
The yellow flowers are lovely and getting more numerous as the years go by.
Excellent…thanks.
Fascinating. Have you also had abnormally mild winters recently? Any chance this is growing in one of those beds with the steam pipes underneath?
We have this at the US Botanic Garden in Wash. DC outside. It loses it’s leaves but has been hardy. Blooms beautifully. We have had no winter to speak of the past 2 years.