Tropical hibiscus 'Snow Queen'

Trim these hibiscus about half way down before bringing them inside to overwinter. Remove any dead leaves, stems and spent flowers and clean the outside of the pots. Brush away any debris on plants.¹

Tropical hibiscus are highly sensitive to phosphorus (the middle “P” number on fertilizers) and an excessive amount will kill the plant. Do not use so-called “bloom fertilizers” on them. Instead tropical hibiscus need a lot of potash to bloom properly (the last number or “K” on fertilizers). Palm fertilizers are widely available and usually have the proper ratio of a medium-low-high NPK ratio along with needed minors.

The pesticide malathion will defoliate tropical hibiscus. Do not use it for pest control.

An excessive amount of nitrogen given to this cultivar will revert the variegated leaves to green.

Cooperi is more cold tender than most tropical hibiscus cultivars and care needs to be taken in marginal areas as a result. ²

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Snow Queen is thought of as tender, so remember to wait until your soil is warm and the night time temperature is well above freezing before moving outside. A soil ph of between 6.1 and 7.5 is ideal for Snow Queen as it does best in weakly acidic soil - weakly alkaline soil.

By our calculations, you should look at sowing Snow Queen about 84 days before your last frost date.

As Snow Queen is tender, ensure temperatures are mild enough to plant out - wait until after your last frost date to be on the safe side.

variegated tropical hibiscus, Hibiscus cooperi, Checkered Hibiscus, Sir Daniel Cooper’s Hibiscus

¹ allthingsplants.com/plants/view/106839/Variegated-Tropical-Hibiscus-Hibiscus-rosa-sinensis-Snow-Queen/

² Hibiscus rosa-sinensis’Cooperi’