whilting hibiscus ???

[stevej3658]

Hi, I'm new to this site. I love the bright rich colors hibiscus plants produce.  Recently visiting a friends home they pointed out their perennial hibiscus, I was impressed.  So I set out to the local nursery to find one, I did it looked very healthy, 3 days ago, I brought it home left it in it's pot for a day watered it, looked great when I left for work, returned home that afternoon and it look 1/2 dead  .  leaves had whilted it had become quite warm a humid 80's and 90's.  So I water it again and now am waiting to see what happens next.  Any advice ? Thanks

Steve
Hampton Roads area of Virginia

[stevej3658]

By the way I have since planted him in my yard and continued to water.

[Charlie]

Hi Steve,

If this is a tropical hibiscus like the ones we specialize in (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) this would be bad news. Unless the plant dried out before wilting and recovered after being watered well, the most likely cause would be a fungus disease that entered the plant from the roots. This is usually fatal with hibiscus although you can try some home remedies to save it. The best thing might be just to take it back where you got it and ask for a replacement.

Charlie

[stevej3658]

thanks for the info Charlie.  Would it affect the plant that quickly ?  2-3 days ? maybe it already had fungi (??) when I got it from the nursery.

[stevej3658]

ok here's an update if anyone has any fresh ideas.  this morning my perennial hibiscus shows some signs of recovery.  there are 2-3 blooms some of the leaves are looking a bit healther.  Should I cut off the "dead" looking wilting leaves ?  Mybe the guy was in "shock" from being transfered from a greenhouse to a yard and need a little time to acklimate <--- sp (??)

[Nievesgirl]

ok here's an update if anyone has any fresh ideas.  this morning my perennial hibiscus shows some signs of recovery.  there are 2-3 blooms some of the leaves are looking a bit healther.  Should I cut off the "dead" looking wilting leaves ?  Mybe the guy was in "shock" from being transfered from a greenhouse to a yard and need a little time to acklimate <--- sp (??)

This sound similar to what happened to my heartbreak hotel. When i got it it was fine then 2-3 days later it started to wilt. I watered it and it was still wilted. I kept bringing it in at night and I saw improvements but then it wilted again. The plan was stress and it needed more water in my situation. It is fine now, I figured out how much water this plant needs and when its time to water again.  I left some of the damaged leaves. I picked off the yellow leaves and took the dead buds off

[stevej3658]

ok we must have had some classic transplant shock because the plant is looking progressivly better over the weekend.