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a new flower has appeared

J_clark1976J_clark1976 Posts: 19
edited August 2018 in Plants
I moved in to a house 10 years ago with a keen gardener ex owner who kindly left me a few potted plants as he said he couldn't take them to his retirement flat. This particular plant was too big for its pot and I moved it on about 8 years ago, wasn't the most beautiful however it filled and gap and I liked it when no leaves were on it. This week I was walking around and this flower had appeared and there are more buds. Firstly what is it and secondly why after 8 years has it only now decided to flower, my obvious answer is weather, but surely it's not a simple as that.

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 21,910
    It’s an Hibiscus, I’ve had one for that long and never had a flower on it! 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • J_clark1976J_clark1976 Posts: 19
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,140
    It's a hibiscus.   In my experience they take a long time to decide winter is really over and start to put out new leaves as late as June some years.   Flowering requires a lot of energy so if you're not feeding it or improving its soil it will reserve energy for foliage and roots.  It certainly looks small for a plant that age. 

    I suggest you give it a weekly liquid feed of tomato fertiliser or seaweed extract from mid-June every year and up until the end of August.  Do not give it a nitrogen heavy feed as this will produce sappy growth that is damaged by frosts and won't encourage flowers.

    This feeding would also benefit your rhodo in front but make sure you use rainwater if your tap water is hard as the rhodo won't tolerate lime/calcium.   Once the soil is properly wet after good autumn rains, mulch both plants with some well-rotted manure or garden compost to feed the soil organisms and improve plant health.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • J_clark1976J_clark1976 Posts: 19
    thank you so much, just googled it and its a hibiscus red heart, still no idea why its only flowered now though, hopefully yours will flower shortly.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,140
    Mine are in the Vendée so start flowering in June as they do leaves from April/May.  My past experience is with plants in Harrow and Belgium which do have longer, colder winters.

    I suspect yours has flowers this year because it's been an exceptionally warm summer.   Feeding as described above will help for future years.  You could also add a generous handful of general fertiliser such as Blood, fish and bone or pelleted chicken manure in spring as this helps with foliage that feeds the plant.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • J_clark1976J_clark1976 Posts: 19
    Obelixx, thank you for your advice, the Phodo in front is amazing and always puts on a great show, but like everyone else's not for very long. Thanks again 
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