Hibiscus doubled over

Posts

• Posy Posts: 3,601

  September 2022

  Are some of the branches broken? Does it usually flop in this way? It may just have been the very violent rainfall we have been having and you may be able to shake the branches gently and ease them back into position but I have never seen hibiscus do this in my garden. Have a good close look at what the damage is.

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• jaimelebird Posts: 38

  September 2022

  Thanks Posy, no I don’t think it’s the weather as it did this when we had the heatwave too.

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  September 2022

  If it only gets afternoon sun that may not be enough … so it’s desperately growing out towards the light …. and then the weight of all that growth is pulling it away from the wall. 

  
  

  I suspect it’s planted in the wrong place. 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

  September 2022

  I'd guess it's searching for more light. Are the stems getting more light now they're growing outward rather than upwards?
  
  They really need full sun in a sheltered position.
  It may be it's just in the wrong place
  
  You could put a post in behind it then tie the stems to it, but I think they'll start growing outwards again if thats where the best light is.

  
  Billericay - Essex
  
  Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
  Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

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• jaimelebird Posts: 38

  September 2022

  Dovefromabove said:

  If it only gets afternoon sun that may not be enough … so it’s desperately growing out towards the light …. and then the weight of all that growth is pulling it away from the wall. 

  
  

  I suspect it’s planted in the wrong place. 

  Thanks, I think you’re right although it’s been there for a few years and not done this before.

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• jaimelebird Posts: 38

  September 2022

  Pete.8 said:

  I'd guess it's searching for more light. Are the stems getting more light now they're growing outward rather than upwards?
  
  They really need full sun in a sheltered position.
  It may be it's just in the wrong place
  
  You could put a post in behind it then tie the stems to it, but I think they'll start growing outwards again if thats where the best light is.

  Thanks. I might try a post as it’s been in this spot for a few years and never done this before.

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• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  September 2022

  Presumably it spent its first few years establishing a good root system … only now that has been done does it have the ‘oomph’ to put on lots of top growth … and the top growth will always grow towards the sun. 

  
  Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• jaimelebird Posts: 38

  September 2022

  Thanks for all the responses 👍🏻

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• bédé Posts: 3,095

  September 2022 edited September 2022

  I think it's a bit of both.  Leaning forward a bit because of shade, and heavy weight of rain on the plant in full leaf.  A bit of wind doesn't help.  
  
  It happens to my hydrangeas and rhodendrons (esp when in flower) and also my agapanthuses.
  
  Sometimes they straighten on their own, sometimes they need a bit of pruning or staking.

   location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
  "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

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• jaimelebird Posts: 38

  September 2022

  bédé said:

  I think it's a bit of both.  Leaning forward a bit because of shade, and heavy weight of rain on the plant in full leaf.  A bit of wind doesn't help.  
  
  It happens to my hydrangeas and rhodendrons (esp when in flower) and also my agapanthuses.
  
  Sometimes they straighten on their own, sometimes they need a bit of pruning or staking.

  Thanks 🙏🏻 

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