Hibiscus plants should be pruned occasionally, which is usually done in the spring. Regularly pruning these plants will make better shaped plants, as well as cause the branching and blooming of the flowers to increase. Pruning will allow the plant to produce hormones that activate buds that have become dormant. This will also reduce the amount of insects infesting the plant.
There are also some negatives to pruning the plants. The main drawback is the fact that you will not see any blooms in the area you pruned for at least a couple of months. Another draw back is the fact that your plant will look smaller or out of balanced until the new growth comes in.
When to Prune the Hibiscus Plant:
The location and weather will be the primary factors on determining when you should prune the plant. The main thing to remember is that you should never prune the plant during a time in which new growth will come in during a time when cold weather is likely. Because of this, most pruning is done between the months of February and August, depending on your local weather patterns.
If you only plan to do partial or selective pruning, there are really no drawbacks you need to concern yourself with. This type of pruning can be done at anytime of the year. However, if you plan to do a complete cutting back of the plant, you should only do this task during the early spring.
Pruning hibiscus is not a very difficult task. The only concern you should have is the weather. If you follow the simple steps to pruning, and do it during a time in which the new buds will grow in during warm weather, you should have no problems with this task.
