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Posted By: patches1414 Hibiscus Help - August 18th, 2006 at 01:28 PM
I have a white Hibiscus that gets blooms about the size of dinner plates. The bloom is all white with no other color on the petals. I bought this 4 years ago and have lost the identification tag. Does anyone know the name of this Hibiscus!

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Posted By: DowntoEarth Re: Hibiscus Help - August 18th, 2006 at 02:43 PM
Hello!

I'm not positive, but it looks like hibiscus moschuetos, BLUE RIVER II.
Your flower is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!

Susan
Posted By: patches1414 Re: Hibiscus Help - August 18th, 2006 at 05:40 PM
Susan, that's what someone else said, but I wasn't sure because I thought I recalled a woman's name being a part of the name, but I may have been thinking of something else! It was four years ago when I got this plant.

Thanks so much for your help!
Posted By: TulsaRose Re: Hibiscus Help - August 18th, 2006 at 11:14 PM
Patti, that is just gorgeous! I bet the plant hybridizers (is that a word?) were delighted when they came up with the solid white. I wonder if it would come true from seeds? Have you ever divided it? Or taken cuttings?

I have the "minature" of your plant, a pure white Rose of Sharon that is my favorite.
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Posted By: DowntoEarth Re: Hibiscus Help - August 19th, 2006 at 02:49 AM
Patches,

You can maybe try google "images" for (hibiscus moschuetos BLUE RIVER II) then you might be able to tell for sure if it's the same plant you have, or possibly something else. I just love those little lines on the Pedals. thumbup


Rosie,

I love your Rose of Sharon too! thumbup These two different white flowers go to show you that flowers sure don't have to have a color to be beautiful, or pretty! I'd love to get a white one sometimeas well as a couple others. I have a ruffled dark pink one, but don't know the name.

Susan
Posted By: TulsaRose Re: Hibiscus Help - August 19th, 2006 at 04:03 AM
Susan, my solid white Rose of Sharons almost didn't live to bloom size as I just assumed they would be the same color as the mature shrubs they were growing near. (white\red eye, lavender, pink, etc.) I had already pulled out quite a few but this particular one had already made such a nice shape that I decided to let it grow. I'm so glad that I did because it quickly became my favorite. They have to be the result of cross-pollination by our friendly flying garden helpers. wink I've ended up with three by pure luck!
Posted By: patches1414 Re: Hibiscus Help - August 19th, 2006 at 05:29 AM
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I wonder if it would come true from seeds? Have you ever divided it? Or taken cuttings?
Rosie, two years ago, I actually grew some of the white ones from seeds that I got from this plant and they did come in true! I've never tried dividing a Hibiscus, but I have propagated some from cuttings.
Posted By: DowntoEarth Re: Hibiscus Help - August 19th, 2006 at 08:25 AM
Alright Rosie! Glad you left them growing.I'll bet you were just thrilled to get all white flowers, very nice!

Patti,

How did you propagate your Rose of Sharon by cuttings? I have propagated many things, but can't seem to get them to root.
I have tried and tried to root 7" cuttings that were put right in the dirt near the 10' tall mother, but the leaves always die, even when I keep them watered the first week or two, so I assume the cuttings are dead, so I just pull them out.
Also, I have not ever seen any seed pods, are they near the flowers? Can you tell me what they look like?

Thanks,
Susan
Posted By: patches1414 Re: Hibiscus Help - August 19th, 2006 at 04:50 PM
Susan, I don't have Rose of Sharon, and I would never have them because they can get out of hand and come up everywhere. What I have is the hardy Hibiscus moschuetos and the Rose of Sharon is Hibiscus syriacus. They are from the same family but they are two entirely different plants.

When I propagate my hardy Hibiscus from cuttings, I use a sterile Exacto Knife and cut off about 10" of the new growth, approximately 1/2" below a set of leaves. I take off all the leaves at the bottom of the cutting, but leave a couple sets of leaves at the top. Then I stick the bottom part of the cutting in Clonex Rooting Compound (or any rooting hormone) and put it potting soil, making sure at least two of the sets of leaves that I cut off are covered by the soil. I keep the soil moist, but not soaked, and make sure it doesn't receive any direct sunlight until after I see some new leaves sprouting.
Posted By: DowntoEarth Re: Hibiscus Help - August 20th, 2006 at 04:45 AM
Patti,

I thought for some reason you had a Rose of Sharon along with your Hibiscus moschuetos. The Rose of Sharon that I have (just one) never throws off any new plants anywhere, wish it did, lol. I was told you have to have more than one of these plants to get any seed pods. Duh

Anyway, thanks for the information! I tried growing a dinner plant sized red one like your white one once, not sure of the name (Walmart special) and it died during the winter, that was years ago and I haven't bought another one, but do love them.
I'm not even sure if there is one that could withstand our cold winters Duh

Good luck with your white dinner plates!

Susan
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