Hibiscus

The History of the Hibiscus

The ancestors of the modern hibiscus we all know and love were sprinkled all around the globe, trailing the Equator from one tropical land to the next!

They are considered to be the ancestors of the modern exotic hibiscus originally native to Mauritius, Madagascar, Fiji, Hawaii, China, and India.

Similar to modern hibiscus, their ancestors were characterized by their free-flowering, tall bushes, and their ability to form seeds using their own pollen that would grow into genetically identical plants.

Most of these ancestors do still exist and look very similar to the modern hibiscus of today.

We don’t know how the original species were separated from one another, but it is speculated that at one time, they grew closer together, but continental drift eventually separated them.

It’s also possible that they all come from the same ancestral hibiscus, and this ancestral plant evolved into different species.

We can see this happening even now in the Hawaiian islands when plants of one of the Hawaiian native hibiscus species develop unique characteristics as they grow and evolve on separate islands.

Another theory is that during pre-historic times, the ancestors of the Polynesian people set out from their original home in southeast Asia and migrated throughout the Pacific, carrying with them seeds of the original hibiscus species that they planted in various locations during this long migration. By the 1700s, eight cross-compatible hibiscus species were growing naturally on tropical islands off the east coast of Africa and all the way to Hawaii.

By the 1900s, first and second-generation hybrids of hibiscus were growing in most of the sub-tropical areas of the world. Although many growers were able to improve the plants, they hadn’t yet been able to attain the flower size and huge variety of colors that were to come from the more intense hybridization in the 20th century. This was first done in Hawaii! [2]

All varieties of hibiscus grow best in full sun and moist, well-draining soil.

As a warm-weather plant, it’s best to keep hibiscus inside until nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees.

Plant them in the spring so they will have the entire growing season to establish a sound root system. A perennial hibiscus planted in the fall may not return as reliably the following spring as one planted earlier in the year.

How to Plant:

• • Dig a hole that is twice as wide and just as deep as the plant’s root system.
  • Remove from pot and settle into planting hole
  • Fill in around the root ball with soil.
  • Water well after planting
  • For the first few weeks, water thoroughly every couple of days. After that, water twice weekly during the first growing season and once weekly during the second growing season.
  • Keep them consistently moist! [3]

Yes, it’s true. Hibiscus don’t have the longest vase life. However, here are a few tips to keep them fresh and lively for as long as possible!

• Pick in the morning to avoid excess sun exposure
• Keep out of the sun once brought inside
• Store in the fridge until you plan on using them to keep them from wilting