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[Pax]

   I think I posted this first picture two years ago but I'm going to repeat it because the resultant "baby" hibiscus was run over with a lawn mower & didn't survive the ordeal.  I've made the same cross again this summer, hoping for the same (or very similar) result, but crossing both of the flowers with the other this time around to see what happens.  The 2nd pic shows one of the 4? 5? seedpods coming along nicely.

[eriemermaid]

Nice.  I haven't had any flowers since the weeds died.  My entire yard is nothing but weeds and brown.

[Pax]

    One of the drawbacks to Hibiscus is they like lots of water, but they're spectacular when in bloom.  The lawn, on the other hand, is a lovely shade of brown already 

     Question: does anyone know if there's anything special to be done when dividing hibiscus?  I moved the entire clumps to their present locations several years ago and want to divide and move them yet again this fall.  Being woody roots I don't know if a sharp spade would do the trick or if a chainsaw would make quick work of it and not kill the poor things.  Has anyone ever tried to take cuttings from hibiscus to root and plant?  Any hints??

[Skittelroo]

Beautiful new plant, Pax!!!

I don't have many blooming flowers at the moment, other than the hanging pots...... but my Moonflowers are HUGE!

[eriemermaid]

You have Moonflowers in a pot? wow!  When I had moonflowers they took over the whole garden.  It took about 3 years to get rid of them all.  They are beautiful though!  I (kind of) miss them.

[Monique]

Those are beautiful hibiscus!

My moonflowers didn't do anything this year! And my morning glories are growing and blooming on the wrong side of the fence!

[sammy]

Those are beautiful hibiscus!

My moonflowers didn't do anything this year! And my morning glories are growing and blooming on the wrong side of the fence!

Just wait until those morning glories take over your whole garden! Been fighting a losing battle against them for three years now.

[Skittelroo]

Those are beautiful hibiscus!

My moonflowers didn't do anything this year! And my morning glories are growing and blooming on the wrong side of the fence!

I had a very difficult time ridding my yard of morning glories---they grew too well, but rarely bloomed (planted in the wrong area).

Here's a pic of some of my moonflowers

[Monique]

Gorgeous moonflowers! Is that butterfly bush in the foreground?

I've always planted morning glory from seed--heavily, since i love the vine--and I've never had a problem. I usually have to baby them a bit to get them thriving. Maybe I don't have the right conditions in my yard for them to become a problem. I can't think of a single 'volunteer' I've ever had, but I've heard from many folks that it can become a nuisance.

[Skittelroo]

No, I don't have any moonflowers in a pot .   I just sprinkle the seeds each year and see what comes alive.   I usually pull them out at the end of summer/early fall, but occasionally I get lazy and the next year that plant may reappear (not always).   Mine aren't a vine, but more of a bush.  We have good black dirt here, and they tend to grow extremely tall.  The blooms aren't as big this year, but plentiful for sure.   They seem to like a lot of water and lots of sun.   


Pax, here's a pretty good website on how to divide hibiscus     http://www.ehow.com/how_5547365_divide-hibiscus-plants-fall.html

[eriemermaid]

Your moonflowers are great!  I miss them! 

[Pax]

     Thanks for the link, Skittel, they recommend spring division rather than fall, but it's still possible (and with a spade, not a chain saw  )

     I've been growing Datura ("moonflower") for nigh on 20 years now and even though they are tropical they have reseeded themselves readily in my yard all these years (hard clay soil but lots of loam and compost in the flower beds.)  The first version I had of them was a double - white interiors with a dark, almost black, purple exterior - but those seeds didn't make it through our winters by themselves.  With the full moon of late no light has been required to see those fantastic white trumpets at night tho!

     I'll post updates on the hibiscus seedpods if anybody is interested, but the conversation can certainly go where it will! 

[Skittelroo]

Pax, you must have a fabulous display of flora!  By chance, are you a Master Gardener? 

[Pax]

     No, Skittel, gardening's just a hobby of mine.  It started as a kid: I hated cutting grass so much that when I discovered adding shrubs and flowers decreased the square footage of lawn to tend to I went all out.  Even though it's a whole lot more work than pushing/riding a mower the yard looks that much more attractive, too, and by making my own crosses/hybrids I can have flowers that nobody else has 

     The seedpod at bottom is a surprise, of sorts, because it's actually growing: I crossed OT hybrids Leslie Woodriff with Gold Band but because they are relatively unnatural crosses I'll need a petri dish or some culture medium to get the seeds to actually sprout.  It'll be a process, but good things are worth the wait, are they not?!!

[Pax]

     For the moonflowers fans I've had this on my botanical "favorites" list for a for years: Datura
<- link

This Zuni legend about the origin of Datura also provides an insight into the nature of it's essential character. A'neglakya and his sister could 'make people fall asleep and have visionary dreams'. Since time immemorial various Datura species have been revered as sacred visionary plants by practically all cultures who have come into contact with it. There are many different species in this genus: Datura alba, Datura bernhardii, Datura ceratocaula, Datura discolor, Datura ferox, Datura inoxia, Datura insignis, Datura leichhardtii, Datura metel, Datura nanakai, Datura parajuli, Datura pruinosa, Datura quercifolia, Datura stramonium, Datura tatula, Datura wrightii. (Datura including synonyms and varieties.) This article also includes references to the closely related Brugmansia, often called "Tree Datura". Datura distribution spans all warm and tropical regions of the world. Daturas usually grow as herbaceous annuals/perennials whilst the, South American, Brugmansias grow into trees. The most striking feature, shared by all species are the beautiful trumpet-like flowers, ranging in color from white to pinkish purple, and in some varieties even to bright golden yellow and red. The flowers exude a beautiful, narcotic scent, especially at night. The seed capsules of the Datura species are typically the size of a walnut and are covered with thorns that may become quite sharp and spiky as the plant matures. The appearance of these seed-capsules has given rise to the English common name, 'Thornapple' and the German 'Stechapfel'. When the 'apple' is ripe the capsule opens up into four segments, thus releasing its little black to pale-brown seeds. The Brugmansia fruits are more succulent and usually have a smooth surface. The seeds are similar colours, sharply angular and generally larger than those of Datura (approx. 0.75 cm).

And here's a fine picture of the purple/white double Datura metel: