First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on December 5,, 2022

Planting instructions

If you are like most gardeners throughout the United States, you’ll need to overwinter your First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus for at least part of the year. As such, you should plant this small shrub in a container that is about twice as wide as the plant’s root ball. Generally, the First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus will adapt well to many types of soil as long as they have good drainage. This plant can also grow in either full sunlight or partial shade conditions.

Watering and nutrients

After planting your First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus, you should water it often enough to keep its soil consistently moist throughout the first growing season. During the following growing seasons, you can wait until the first two to three inches of soil have dried out to give water. At times, this can mean watering once per week, depending on the heat and dryness of your growing location. You can feed your First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus once per year in spring or up to four times, spaced evenly, throughout the growing season, using a balanced or bloom-specific fertilizer.

Pollination

The large flowers of a First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus are quite attractive to pollinators, including both insects and birds. The exceptionally long bloom time of this plant often gives these pollinators plenty of time to conduct the pollen transfer. However, if you grow your First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus indoors, it may not have a chance to pollinate, which is not all that consequential since this plant does not produce fruits that are of any value.

Pruning

Ideally, you should do most of the pruning for your First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus during the early part of the year before the new growth begins. Begin by identifying any branches that are dead, damaged or showing signs of disease. Remove those branches using a set of sharp and sterile pruning shears. Since the First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus does not bloom on old wood, late winter pruning does not come with the risk of removing the coming season’s blooms.

Pests, diseases and animals

The most prevalent pest issue that a First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus is an infestation of whiteflies. However, this plant is also vulnerable to several other pests and diseases as well. Regarding the former, aphids and thrips are some of the most common insects to harm this plant other than whiteflies. When it comes to disease, the First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus is most likely to encounter complications related to dieback, wilt and leaf spots, among others.

Achieving maximum results

One of the main selling points of the First to Arrive™ Hollywood® Hibiscus is that this plant’s flowers are not only spectacular, but they are also long-lasting. If you wish to aid the longevity of your plant’s blooms, you can do so by performing multiple feedings per year rather than a single feeding in spring. Often, the best approach is to apply a slow-release fertilizer in early spring, mid-spring, summer and fall. Also, many gardeners swear by phosphorus-rich fertilizers to promote healthy flowering in this plant.

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