Hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis · also called Gudhal, Chinese hibiscus
Flowering
- Light
- Sunny, Part sun
- Pot size
- Large pot (more than 15 litres)
- Care level
- Moderate
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 0 °C (32 °F)
- Pets
- Pet safety not confirmed
Light and position
Full sun to part shade; indoors, bright light.
Size and pot
A shrub that NC State lists at 4 to 10 feet; indoors it needs a large container. Our pot band: large pot (more than 15 litres).
Watering
Keep the roots moist. It appreciates humid air and needs protection from wind and frost.
Potting mix and feeding
Rich, moist, well-drained soil.
Growing through the year
Flowers form on new growth. NC State suggests cutting it back by about half before its main growth flush. Moving the pot can make leaves and buds drop.
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 0 °C (32 °F). NC State lists USDA zones 9a to 11b but says it needs protection from frost, so we use freezing (32 °F) as its limit.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 0 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 0 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 0 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Scale insects; otherwise few significant problems.
Pets and people
ASPCA’s “Hibiscus” entry covers a different species (Hibiscus syriacus). We found no entry for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and NC State gives no toxicity rating, so its pet safety is not confirmed.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Medium). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.