Hibiscus hedge: tips on choosing varieties, planting & care

It is quite easy to achieve a great privacy screen with hibiscus. We give tips on suitable varieties and proper pruning of a hibiscus hedge.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus) blooms in the most beautiful colours from June. Whether blue, white or pink – the variety of hibiscus is large, and some varieties are even suitable for creating a hedge with it. Hibiscus hedges not only bring a bright variety of colours to your garden but also provide a good privacy screen. Simply follow a few tricks to quickly create a hibiscus hedge to decorate your garden. Find out in this article what varieties are suitable, how to create a hibiscus hedge and care for it.

Hibiscus hedge: an overview

Garden hedges do not always have to be green. The best evidence to the contrary is provided by the hibiscus: with its colourful blooms, it brings colour to our gardens and, as a hedge, also provides a habitat for many insects and birds. Hibiscus, which originates from Asia, belongs to the mallow family (Malvaceae). Hibiscus plants are fast-growing and their dense foliage provides optimal protection from unwanted glances. In addition, the low requirements of hibiscus and its high pruning tolerance make it an ideal hedge plant.

Suitable varieties

The diversity of varieties of hibiscus is large. But not all species of hibiscus are well suited for a hedge. Since the hibiscus hedge survives all year in the open ground, the variety of hibiscus for a hedge must definitely be frost-resistant. For example, the garden mallow (Hibiscus syriacus) is particularly suitable for a hibiscus hedge. However, varieties of almond mallow (Hibiscus mutabilis) can also be used for a hedge. Both species can grow up to two metres tall and are very tolerant of pruning. Below we have compiled some hardy varieties that are particularly suitable.

Varieties of garden hibiscus for a hedge:

• ‘Blue Bird’: this variety bears large blue flowers early in the year. It is strong-growing and particularly hardy.
• ‘Duc de Brabant’: this hibiscus variety grows tall, bushy and can reach three metres in height. The funnel-shaped flowers range from dark red to blue-red and bloom from July to October.
• ‘Russian Violet’: the ‘Russian Violet’ variety is also very strong-growing. The flowers are pink to red-purple. Flowering time is from July to early October.

Varieties of almond hibiscus for a hedge:

• ‘Shanghai Pink’: this is a hardy variety with a rich bloom of pink to dark pink. The hibiscus is hardy down to -15 °C.
• ‘Double’: this variety is strong-growing and bushy. The flower colour changes from white to pink to red.

A comprehensive overview of the rich variety of hibiscus can be found here.

Planting a hibiscus hedge

Hibiscus hedges, like hibiscus specimen plants, prefer a sunny to semi-shady location sheltered from the wind. Hibiscus hedges prefer to grow in a well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. A nutrient-poor soil can be enriched with humus-rich potting soil or compost. The optimal time for planting is in spring, as soon as frost is no longer expected.

The course of the planned hedge is best marked with a string before planting. The planting distance between plants should be 60 centimetres so that your hedge will be nice and dense. You can either dig a separate planting hole for each plant or make a trench about 50 centimetres deep along the entire length of the hedge. Then the plants are planted and watered well.

Summary of hibiscus hedge hibiscus hedges:

• Location: sunny and sheltered from wind
• Substrate: permeable and nutrient-rich
• Planting distance: 60cm
• Planting depth: 50 cm

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Tip: do not just use one variety or colour for your hedge. Planting different varieties of hibiscus can create a colourful display in your garden that is guaranteed to catch everyone is eye.

Detailed instructions on planting hibiscus and its propagation can be found here.

Care measures

Even though hibiscus hedges are considered low maintenance, you should not neglect yours and care for them regularly. First and foremost, hibiscus care includes watering. A freshly planted hibiscus hedge is best kept constantly moist for two weeks. If the hibiscus is too dry, it will quickly react by shedding its leaves. At the latest, you should take drooping leaves as a sign to water promptly to protect your hibiscus hedge from drying out.

In the spring, you can regularly strengthen your hedge with fertiliser. In the process, a natural fertiliser slowly releases nutrients to plants and supports healthy soil life. For hibiscus hedges, our Plantura Flower Food with long-term effect is suitable, which consists of plant-based products. If you discover signs of disease or pests, it is better to remove the affected parts of the plant immediately. This prevents diseases or pests from spreading to the entire hedge.

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Summary of hibiscus hedge care:

• Keep continuously moist after planting
• Water regularly afterwards
• Fertilise in spring
• Immediately remove diseased/infested plant parts

Find out in our dedicated article what else to look for in terms of hibiscus care.

Cutting a hibiscus hedge

The vigorous growth of your hibiscus hedge means it will need to be trimmed back annually. This topiary conditions a compact growth and promotes flowering. The ideal time to trim your hibiscus hedge is in the spring, before the leaves sprout. Cut your hedge back by a good third in the process. Frozen and damaged branches can also be cut off. Diseased or pest-infested branches and dead shoots should be removed throughout the year.

Summary: Cutting hibiscus hedges

• Shorten by one third in the spring
• The flowers develop on one-year-old shoots
• Remove sick and dead shoots throughout the year

Detailed instructions for pruning hibiscus can be found here.