Fusang, also known as hibiscus peony, is an evergreen shrub of the Malvaceae family. The stems are upright, multi-branched, up to 6 meters high, and potted plants are generally 1 to 3 meters high. The leaves are alternate, broadly ovate to narrow ovate, like mulberry leaves. The flowers are large, solitary in the leaf axils; they have single or double petals; they come in a variety of colors: white, yellow, pink, and red. As long as the temperature is suitable and there is strong sunlight, it can bloom all year round. Fusang is a famous flower in my country and has a long history of cultivation.

According to records, there are many varieties of hibiscus. There are currently more than 3,000 varieties in the world, of which the vast majority are cultivated in Hawaii.

There are about 250 species of plants in the same genus. The ones commonly used as potted plants in the north include:

Hibiscus, an evergreen shrub or small tree. In North China, it is often grown as a potted plant and overwintered in a cold room. The flowering period is from September to October. The flowers are large, single or double, in white, pink and other colors.

Gongshou flower basket, also known as hanging flowers, is an evergreen shrub. The flowers have long stalks, hang upside down, and are in the shape of a hanging basket. Blooms all year round, bright red, with deeply split and curled petals. It is not cold tolerant and can be cultivated in greenhouses in North China.

Propagate by cuttings and grafting. Select a strong branch that is one or two years old, about 10 cm long, remove the lower leaves, and cut off the remaining leaves in half, and cut them on a planting bed with coarse sand as the medium. Use plastic film to moisturize, spray water frequently or automatically spray, keep the temperature 18-25℃, and roots can take 4-6 weeks. It is difficult for some varieties to take rooting from cuttings, so bud grafting or twig grafting can be used.

There are many greenhouse potted plants in North China. Because hibiscus likes strong sunlight, it can be cultivated in those who live in a bungalow with a spacious courtyard or a building with a large balcony. If your house is small and there is insufficient light, it is best to choose other shade-loving plants.

For potted plants, use peat soil or humus soil plus 1/4 river sand or perlite and a small amount of base fertilizer. Do not use heavy clay soil as potting soil. It is usually repotted and soiled every spring, and heavy pruning is performed at the same time. The cut branches can be used as cutting propagation material. When the cuttings grow to 20 cm, pinch them to promote branching, and then shape them as needed. Hibiscus flowers bloom as new shoots, and they can only continue to bloom if they continue to grow vigorously. Therefore, fertilizer should be continuously applied during cultivation to promote the development of its branches. Apply liquid fertilizer once a week, and compound granular fertilizer can be applied during the rainy season. Fuso consumes a lot of water. It needs sufficient water during the growing season and should be watered once a day. But the most important thing to avoid is water accumulation in the pot soil. You need to pay special attention to it during the rainy season. If you find a pot with water accumulation, you need to replace the soil in time and replant it. In North China, it is usually moved to a sunny place outdoors from the end of April to early May for cultivation, and then moved indoors to a place with direct sunlight at the end of September. Insufficient sunlight causes the branches to grow slender and unable to bloom. Even if flower buds are formed, flowers will not bloom. For indoor cultivation in the north, it is not easy to bloom in winter, and flowers can only be seen when cultivated in the open air in summer. In winter, the indoor temperature should be above 15°C, and growth will stop below 12°C. After a while, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. The indoor temperature is low, the root system is in a dormant state, and the water absorption capacity is very weak. It is better to water less and make the pot soil slightly dry.

Figure 6-45 Fuso