Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Thursday - June 09, 2011
From: Riverton, WY
Region: Rocky Mountain
Topic: Planting
Title: Can a hibiscus survive in Wyoming?
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Can a hibiscus survive in Wyoming if it is taken care of properly? If so, can you tell me how to make it happen?ANSWER:
You might be able to grow a hibiscus in a pot, bring it in during the winter, and see if it would come back up in the warm weather; in other words, treat it as an annual. There are 12 members of the Hibiscus family native to North America, none of which is native to Wyoming. We did, however, look at the 12 native hibiscus in our Native Plant Database and found Hibiscus laevis (Halberdleaf rosemallow) which grows as close to Wyoming as Nebraska, and as far north as Minnesota and Ontario.
From our database, we got this information about Halberdleaf rosemallow:
Native Distribution: Moist low-lying areas from North Central Texas to the Edwards Plateau.
Native Habitat: Marshes
and
Soil Description: Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Acid-based, Calcareous
And therein lies the rub. Acidic soil tends to occur most often in areas where deciduous trees and conifers have been dropping their trees/leaves for centuries and that organic material has decomposed to form an acidic soil. Why its native habitat is North Central Texas and the Edwards Plateau we can't say, because those are mostly alkaline soils, which we are also thinking you might have in Wyoming, as does a great deal of the Western United States.
In this Floridata aticle we found another comment on the habitat of this plant:
"Hibiscus laevis occurs naturally in swamps, marshes, ditches and along water bodies in eastern Canada and central and eastern U.S., south to northern Florida and Texas."
Now, you asked us how to make it happen. You can't make a plant, even if it's well adapted to where you have it, grow and persist. If you can buy this or a closely similar hibiscus in your area, we suggest that you get one, and give it a one year's trial. It is deciduous, so you can plant it in the ground, let it die back, trim down the stems leaving a few so you know where your plant is, and then start watering it again as the weather warms. Don't fertilize until it is time for it to begin leafing out again, and don't use a high-nitrogen fertilizer, because that inspires more leaf growth and less blossom. You will be running an experimental laboratory on what you can grow in Wyoming.
From the Image Gallery
More Planting Questions
Landscaping help for Gilmer, TX
September 01, 2008 - We have just moved to the beautiful hot state of Texas from warm California and we need some help! Our roses are dying, we have a patch about 25ft. by 3ft. that gets the rain run off like a little str...
view the full question and answer
Patience for slow-growing Baptisia
July 07, 2004 - I have three different varieties of well established Baptisia that I have had for several years ... none of them bloom. One of my plants got a very small flower in April, but just pooped out after th...
view the full question and answer
Prairie wattle for woodland area in Austin
November 29, 2009 - Can prairie wattle be grown in a woodland area? It would get part shade, with full sun for at least half a day. The soil is a bit rocky; location is Austin.
view the full question and answer
Move Roses or Ornamental Grasses in Crown Point, Indiana
September 15, 2010 - I have two ornamental grasses that grew real wide this year. They are blocking three big knock out roses that are four foot tall and four foot wide. My question is which one would be easier to dig up ...
view the full question and answer
Transplanting American Beautyberry from Elgin TX
August 04, 2012 - A friend wants me to take her American Beautyberry shrubs that are in containers, because she is moving and can't take them with her. I have to transport them in the back of a truck and am afraid th...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |