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Hibiscus Plant Care

Hibiscus Doctor

Oh no! Something is wrong with your hibiscus! How do you figure out what it is? We have written many, many articles and webpages telling you how to figure out what is wrong with your hibiscus, but sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. So to help you keep your hibiscus healthy, find the picture and description below that best match the problem with your hibiscus, then click on the link at right to find out how to treat it.

Symptoms

Cause


Sunburn on Hibiscus Leaves
White spots or patches on leaves, and plant has recently been put in direct sun →   Sunburn

Fertilizer burn on Leaf
Brown edges on leaves, and plant has recently been heavily fertilized →   Fertilizer Burn

Bud discolored by thrips
Buds discolor and fall off before blooming during the flowering season →   Thrips

Gall Midge Bud
Buds turn bright yellow while still tiny and fall off before blooming during the flowering season →    
Hibiscus Gall Midge

Flower scratched by thrips
Scratch marks on flower petals in midsummer or fall→   Thrips

Leaf stippled by spider mites
Leaves stipple, turn yellow, fall off, AND conditions are very warm and dry, inside a house or outside in dry summer heat →   Spider Mites

Spider mite web
Tiny webs on stems & tips, AND leaves stipple, turn yellow, fall off, AND conditions are very warm and dry, inside a house or outside in dry summer heat →   Spider Mites

Hibiscus defoliated by spider mites
Leaves turn yellow and fall off until plant is defoliated, soil is neither too wet nor too dry, AND conditions are very warm and dry, inside a house or outside in dry summer heat →    
 
Spider Mites

Whitefly Mess
White cottony mess on leaves AND shaking branches makes tiny white insects fly out →   Whiteflies

Whitefly Cloud
Tiny bright white insects fly out of hibiscus when leaves are shaken →    
Whiteflies

Black Aphids
Black, white, yellow, brown, or green insects on buds, flowers or leaves →    
Aphids

Green Aphids
Black, white, yellow, brown, or green insects on buds, flowers or leaves →    
Aphids

Mealybugs
Small, white cottony spots on leaves →   Mealybugs

Snow Scale
Tiny, bright white spots on bark →   Snow Scale

Fungus Gnats
Tiny, black flying gnats around plant →   Fungus Gnats

Dieback Disease
One wilted branch on an otherwise healthy plant →   Dieback Disease

Fungus Gnats
Plant defoliating from tip, moving down stem while rest of plant is healthy →    
Dieback Disease

Wilted Plant from Drought
Entire plant suddenly wilts, soil is very dry, leaves turn yellow or brown →   Underwatering

Wilt Disease
Entire plant suddenly wilts, soil is wet, leaves stay green, then slowly darken →   Wilt Disease

Wilt Disease
Entire plant suddenly wilts and collapses, soil is very wet, leaves stay green, then darken quickly →   Drowning - Overwatering

Leaf Fungus
Black spots on leaves →   Leaf Fungus

Leaf Fungus
Yellowing leaves that fall off, dark spots in green leaves, in a hibiscus that is outside in winter chill and rain →   Winter Chill & Leaf Drop

Magnesium Deficiency
Oldest leaves turn yellow with dark green veins, young leaves stay green →   Magnesium Deficiency

Iron Deficiency
Youngest leaves turn yellow with dark green veins, older leaves stay green →   Iron Deficiency