Wilting is a hibiscus plant’s reaction to stress. The trick is to figure out which stress is causing it to wilt so you can correct the problem and restore it to health. If you think your plant is wilting because it needs water, you may exacerbate the problem by watering it if that’s not the actual problem. Culprits include environmental, cultural and disease stresses and can affect all hibiscus species.
With more than 200 hibiscus species, two broad categories emerge that broadly classify plants -- tropical and hardy. Tropical hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis) grows perennially in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 10. Some hardy species, which include rose mallow (H. moscheutos) and swamp hibiscus (H. coccineus), are hardy in USDA zones 5 or 6 through 9, depending on cultivar. As members of the same genus, all species of hibiscus are susceptible to similar stresses, with only a few minor differences.
Although hibiscus plants thrive in full sun, they may wilt in the afternoon, particularly in warmer climates. You may consider planting your hibiscus where it receives at least six hours of sun each day but where it is protected by some shade in the afternoon. If the soil where you plant your hibiscus is heavy or contains hardpan that prevents its roots from growing, it will be unable to absorb enough water to sustain healthy growth. It may look wilted every day no matter how much water you give it. You can dig it up, improve the soil and replant it or find a better location for it.
Hibiscus plants perform best if soil is slightly moist but well draining. In periods of drought, plants suffer from inadequate water. Initially, they start wilting before their leaves turn yellow and drop. New plants need more water to become established. The University of California recommends checking the soil around young plants daily to make sure there is enough moisture. Seasonal water needs vary. During the active growing season, hibiscus plants have a higher water need than when they are dormant. If you grow hibiscus plants in containers outside, they need watering more frequently than in-ground plants. Fertilize only according to recommendations because excessive fertilization may burn plants and cause them to wilt.
If you overwater your hibiscus, especially in poorly draining soil, its roots may rot and cause the entire plant to wilt from various fungal diseases, such as Phytophthora species. You may think that all wilting is a result of insufficient water and continue watering your plant to try to "perk it up." But the failure to recognize wilting as a result of disease means you will exacerbate the problem if you continue to water it. Dig down to the roots or pop the plant out of the ground to make sure the roots are not waterlogged. Healthy roots are white, and diseased ones are dark and often mushy. Fungicides that are used according to directions may save your plant if the disease is not too advanced.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis)
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Hibiscus Moscheutos "Disco Belle White"
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Hibiscus Coccineus
- University of California IPM Online: Collar, Foot and Crown Rots -- Phytophthora Spp.
- University of California IPM Online: Poor Water Management, Poor Drainage
- University of California IPM Online: Hibiscus -- Hibiscus Spp.
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