Barnstable County Land, Farms, & Ranches Marstons Mills (GNIS FID: 615623) is a populated place located within the City of Barnstable Town, a minor civil division (MCD) of Barnstable County. The elevation of Marstons Mills is 43 feet. Marstons Mills appears on the Cotuit U.S. Geological Survey Map. Barnstable County is in the Eastern Time Zone (UTC -5 hours).
Hibiscus or Rose of China (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is a flowering plant that can bloom almost year-round. It has large, colorful flowers and is cultivated throughout the tropics and other warm climates. Hibiscus vary in size. The normal height is 12 to 18 inches, but they can grow to as high as 5 feet if not cut back. When buying hibiscus, look for plants that have lots of new buds and healthy leaves. Flowers appear where the leaves branch at the top of the stem and bloom for one to three days, depending on the plant variety.
Luckily, we already covered one of the associated problems with last week's e-mail tip on Mealy Bugs. In fact, my next book may be all about tropicals for Houston and that would definitely include a major chunk dedicated to Hibiscus. Like most situations in gardening, there is not one clear cut answer. But there are a couple of dominant reasons, especially in Houston. The first reason for bud drop can be attributed to the really hot weather. Remember, these are tropical plants that would much prefer 88-90 degrees with lots of humidity. Temperatures above 95 for long periods of time can stress out some Hibiscus hybrids to a point that they shed their blooms as a natural defense mechanism. Moving potted Hibiscus could also cause premature bud drop.