Hardy hibiscus: Diseases and Remedies (Save your Plant Now!)

NOTE: The terms Hardy hibiscus and Hibiscus moscheutos are identical in this text; in reality, Hibiscus moscheutos is Hardy hibiscus’s biological word.

The ‘Perfect Storm’ hardy hibiscus is part of the ‘Proven Winners Summerific®’ series. The ‘Perfect Storm’ is a smaller version of the popular ‘Summer Storm’. With a mature height of about three feet, ‘Perfect Storm’ is half the size of its larger cousin making it a better choice for smaller gardens and landscapes. Thanks to its small size, it doesn’t need any staking.

Why does my Hibiscus moscheutos roots have rot?

Root rot on your Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) can be fatal if not treated with care. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow our guide to keep your plant alive if the symptoms occur: Root soft and blackened.
Hardy

Why does my Hardy hibiscus have gray mold spots?

A particular fungus known as gray mold spots spreads quickly and frequently damages flowers. This fungus is probably to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. If you disregard these warning signs, your plant could die.

Our Solution

When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Hibiscus moscheutos being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my Hardy hibiscus have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Hardy hibiscus owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Hardy hibiscus leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing leaves are arguably the most prevalent issue in the gardening world. Overwatering or a lack of nutrients are the 2 main causes of this issue.

When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:

Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Hibiscus moscheutos in question:

  • Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
  • Yellowing between leaf veins is another sign of iron shortage, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are initially affected.
  • Sulfur deficiency starts with the newest leaves, turning them yellow throughout.
  • Potassium deficiency shows itself when leaf edges turn bright yellow, but the inner leaf stays green. Older leaves show symptoms first, and leaf edges soon turn brown.
  • A broad yellowing indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing starts with older, inner leaves. Yellowing spreads as it advances, eventually touching new leaves as well.

Our Solution

According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.

Is my Hardy hibiscus sunburned?

You can easily tell if your Hardy hibiscus (your Hibiscus moscheutos) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

The leaves of your Hardy hibiscus can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.

To find out if the yellow leaves have been sunburned, look at the part of the bottom that is tinted closer to the base. The yellow leaf is probably burnt and not something else if this portion stays greener.

Why are my Hardy hibiscus leaves turning brown?

The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.

Should I leave my Hibiscus moscheutos in direct sunlight?

No! If your Hibiscus moscheutos (or Hardy hibiscus) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Hardy hibiscus is in such a state!

Our Solution

As explained in the paragraph above, the solution is simple, just place your Hardy hibiscus in a place where the light does not reach it directly, in this way and with a correct watering, your plant should resume its life rather quickly.

Why are my Hibiscus moscheutos leaves drooping or wilting ?

This typically occurs when your Hibiscus moscheutos gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.

Drooping

An easy way to know if your Hibiscus moscheutos is lacking water is to under-weigh its pot, if it looks light, it means that the soil and the roots are probably quite dry, and therefore need water!

Our Solution

If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Hardy hibiscus right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.

This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Hibiscus moscheutos

Water Occasionally

Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Hibiscus moscheutos.

You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Hibiscus moscheutos is also a good idea, especially if it is kept indoors. At GreenShack, we typically advise reserving a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, avoid positioning your Hibiscus moscheutos close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.

Keep your Hardy hibiscus Dust-Free

This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.

This would be a true journey into hell for your Hardy hibiscus and would also satisfy the pests.

To remove the dust, gently rub the plant’s leaves with a microfiber cloth. Dust can be removed more easily with a damp cloth, but stay away from corrosive substances like rubbing alcohol!

Keep drainage in mind

If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.

You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).