Hibiscus "Disco-Belle"

Previously I had grown the hibiscus as an outdoor potted plant but had lost interest. Last year I became aware of a new hybrid, "Disco Belle". I found two plants (8 -10" ) at a nursery centre. I potted them in terra cotta pots 12" in diameter by 11" in depth. For a soil mixture I used a soilless mix to which I added bonemeal, perlite or vermiculite for drainage, worm castings, charcoal, peat moss and some slow release fertilizer. I had purchased these plants in April so on hot days they were put outside and brought in each evening for the first month. The hibiscus likes high temperatures for daytime growing and a drop to 60 deg F - 65deg F at night. For this reason they prefer sunny locations but will grow in partial shade as well.

By July they were heavily loaded with buds and by the end of the month the opening buds exposed a striking bloom, 8" to 10" in diameter, with pink edging and dark red eye. After a week it was not uncommon for the plant to have 5 or 6 blooms open at a time. The blooms started to close on the second day. I placed them on the cement pool deck where they would get the afternoon sun and kept them moist. I watered every day using a dilute fertilizer mixture of 20-20-20 in the spring and later a high phosphorus such as fish emulsion or geranium fertilizer. These plants are heavy feeders and need to be fertilized regularly. Parents of these hybrids were marsh plants and so they prefer a consistently moist soil.

They may be grown as outdoor perennials but I discard them at the end of summer. My mother grew "Southern Belle" for several years at Verona. When fall came and growth had stopped we hilled the plants (as you do with roses) with a mound of earth 12 - 14 inches high. She marked the spot to remind her where it was planted. In May when it was warm, the mound of earth was gently removed , and usually by late June you would see new shoots and you knew "Southern Belle" was alive.

Garden plants have the same cultural requirements as potted plants, i.e. sunny location, keep soil evenly most and lots of fertilizer. Many sources will recommend you prune back in spring as the plant blooms on new growth. In our Kingston climate the top growth is killed back during winter and in the spring just prune off the dead wood.