My Dinner Plate Hibiscus is falling apart. Dinner Plate Hibiscus_problem ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) This is what I found when I got home from work this evening. My first thought was that the neighbor's horses had gotten out again. But wait... nothing else was damaged. And there were no "calling cards" left behind. The branches seemed to just snap off at the "trunk". Dinner Plate Hibiscus_problems ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) Did it just grow too fast? Should I "tie it up" to prevent any other branches from snapping off?
Perhaps a small animal like a squirrel decided to 'investigate' the plant to see if there was anything edible. With the drought sources of regular food may be scarce. Any small tracks? Jerry
My Hibiscus plants have all been multi-stem growing from the ground, I have never had one that had one main stem like yours. But as thick as those stems are I wonder if they were not broken off by hand...maybe a kid in the neighborhood?
I think someone or something (animal) is responsible. Unless all branches had lots of heavy blooms, which I don't know. My hardy hibiscus never branch out. They grow single stems (more from the roots) and at the top, they bloom.
Jerry.... a squirrel could be possible. But there were no tracks to be found. Toni... there are no neighborhood kids. I live at the end of a road and the only neighbors don't have young children. I think the second photo is misleading (my fault). Some of the branches were not completed snapped off. This photo is after I cut all the damaged one's off. Calin... There are/were lots of unopened buds and there had been quite a few flowers. But I don't think they were heavy enough to snap such thick branches. And Jerry... no sign of a dragon around here for days! :-D I just don't know if an animal would have targeted just one plant? But now that I think about it... there have been a TON of black birds around... maybe a bunch of them landed on it while waiting their turn at the feeder and bath? I checked on it before I left home this morning. No more broken or sagging branches and two new flowers were opened.
Cheryl, If the culprits are the black birds, try putting string on your hibiscus. Just take string and wind it randomly up and down and around the plant. Birds don't like to get tangled and will avoid a plant with netting or string on it. I did this on tomato plants to keep the mockingbirds from pecking our ripening tomatoes. I could still pick, but the birds stayed away. The string isn't really obvious, so it doesn't make the plant look weird.
Thanks for the tip Jane... I'll give it a try. I'll keep an eye on it over the weekend and see if I can catch the black birds in the act.
I had to stake my dinner plate. Think this is 5th year-HUGE blooms.Have it in back of my arbor. Just wish bloomed even longer. Has Many stems -some times doesn't break ground until June 15th or later
Love that arbor and bench! And your Hibiscus is lovely! My Aunt said that the one she has, and the one that I got seeds from, used to be pink (years ago). I only remember seeing the huge white flowers. But who knows? Maybe it did change over the years? And... it's got to be at least 15 years old... if not older, and hasn't needed extra support.
I have to go out as much as I can. Has that think it's called Bin weed. Get into plants and wants to bend them down. Fast growing weed. And Hot temps weeds got away from me.
