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echinaceamaniac

Hardy Hibiscus 'Summer Storm'

echinaceamaniac
9 years ago

I love this hardy hibiscus called 'Summer Storm.' It has dark foliage and the blooms are so nice. Great plant! 'Midnight Marvel' is good too, but this forum only allows one photo to be uploaded.

Comments (22)

  • nchomegarden
    9 years ago

    I also have it and love it.
    If you want to propagate, they root easily in water.
    I got a clone king and see a root emerging after 10 days.
    I will be taking lots of cuttings of both this and the raspberry rose hardy hibiscus.

  • greylady_gardener
    9 years ago

    beautiful! :) How large does the plant itself get?

  • nchomegarden
    9 years ago

    About 4 feet

  • nchomegarden
    9 years ago

    Here's that beautiful foliage

  • greylady_gardener
    9 years ago

    thanks for the info. love the leaves and the flower.

  • nchomegarden
    9 years ago

    Cutting rooted in less than two weeks

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    9 years ago

    Thanks, that's really good to know and sounds easy enough even for me!
    Have you had any of your cuttings 'grow up' yet? I'm just wondering since I've had cuttings of some plants (not hibiscus) root, but without a properly located leaf node, they never formed a crown for next year's growth. Does that make sense?
    Love those hibiscus.... I need a bigger yard. Better soil wouldn't hurt either.

  • greylady_gardener
    9 years ago

    A very nice healthy looking root system there. Do you have better success with a thicker stem? or have you compared?

    Was that just in plain water or did you use rooting hormone?

  • nchomegarden
    9 years ago

    I did use Rootone. And I used Clone King - its a mist propagator I purchased online. But it seems they will root in a jar of water as well... See the link -

    kato - I transferred this and a few other cuttings into potting soil. A few of the cuttings show little leaf buds. I will post another picture once the cuttings get more established. I found that pencil thick cuttings work best. I have a few thicker ones which havent formed roots yet, but I had put those just in a glass of water with some Rootone ( not in the propagator).

    Here is a link that might be useful: This is what inspired me

    This post was edited by nirenjoshi on Thu, Aug 14, 14 at 16:43

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    9 years ago

    Nice. I might try it this spring with a cutting from the base. I should go this weekend and check a friend's yard who has several varieties.... good to see where the colors are now, so next spring I can just sneak in there and get the ones I want!

  • nchomegarden
    9 years ago

    Update -
    The cutting now has new leaves

  • greylady_gardener
    9 years ago

    Looking very good.
    I took a cutting of Texas star hibiscus a couple of weeks ago (mid August) and it is just sitting there. No sign of roots yet.

    It got rooting hormone (can't think of what kind right now) and has been in water....hopefully it will pop some roots soon.

  • nchomegarden
    9 years ago

    Update - my cutting now even has flower buds!
    This has to be one of the easiest hardy hibiscus to root and propagate. I have a few more cuttings developing roots. My raspberry rose hibiscus cuttings did not survive so I have a few of those also in my clone king.

  • greylady_gardener
    9 years ago

    wow, that is very encouraging! My cutting of Texas Star has finally popped some roots and has about a quarter or a third of the roots showing in your pic above of the roots on your cutting, but it is a start and I am happy with the experiment so far.
    I did take a cutting of 'pink swirl' and it seems to be dying, but I am hanging in there and giving it a bit more time.

    your latest pic is so healthy looking!

  • catkin
    9 years ago

    What a statement they make! I wonder, what temps are they hardy to? Also, do the roots travel much and if so are they easy to rein in? Thank you for sharing!

  • clodomom
    8 years ago

    Hi,. I know this is an old post but if anyone can reply I would be grateful. I am in zone 7 and just got this plant. It's in a part shade area but gets quite a bit of sun. I noticed the leaves get droopy or the flower petals don't fully open sometimes. Does this need total shade? Also is its habit to close the petals at certain times of days and reopen?

  • clodomom
    8 years ago
    Thanks for the reply!! My hibiscus is the summer storm. It's supposed to be hardy and a perennial. The leaves are dark red. They were that color when I bought it. Are they supposed to be green?

    Does it mean anything that the petals don't seem to be fully open sometimes?
  • clodomom
    8 years ago
    Thanks for the reply!! My hibiscus is the summer storm. It's supposed to be hardy and a perennial. The leaves are dark red. They were that color when I bought it. Are they supposed to be green?

    Does it mean anything that the petals don't seem to be fully open sometimes?
  • nchomegarden
    8 years ago

    The leaves should be dark red/maroon. If the plant does not get sunlight, then the leaves will be green - they need the exposure to sunlight to develop that maroon color.

    The flower petals might not open fully if it is cloudy/rainy.
    Just give it some time and it should be fine.

    This plant is late to sprout in Spring. So next spring, do not despair if you do not see the new growth until May/June. Once the new leaves appear, it grows very fast and reaches full size in a matter of weeks.

  • clodomom
    8 years ago
    Thanks! That's encouraging. She's a beaut!!!
  • kg1970
    5 years ago

    Does anyone know the best way to winterize a perfect storm in a pot? Thanks

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