Starting various Hibiscus seeds

[Chris]

I hope this is the correct forum for asking this. From another site I'm on I won in a raffle 15 different varieties of Hibiscus seeds:

Hibiscus Trionum; Hibiscus Martianus; Hibiscus Laevis; Hibiscus Radiatus; Hibiscus Moscheutos (Luna Pink Swirl); Hibiscus Syuriacus (Lavender w/Red Eye); Hibiscus Moscheutos ssp Lasiocarpos; Hibiscus Sabdariffa; Hibiscus Coccineus (Alba); Hibiscus Aculeatus; Hibiscus Moscheutos ssp Moscheutos; Hibiscus Dasycalyx; Hibiscus Syriacus (White w/Red Eye); Hibiscus Coccineus; Hibuscus Striatus

I have a very limited amount of seeds in each packet so I want to insure that I'll get the maximum number of seeds to germinate. Of course my main question being how do I get these to germinate? Cold stratification by wrapping in wet paper towels and putting in the refrigerator as I'm doing with my Columbine seeds?

Chris
 

[Brenden]

Are those hardy or tropical?

[Chris]

That I'm unsure of Brendon. I guess I'll have to go back to the person who sent them to me and ask.

[Cindy]

Interesting collection! This forum deals with tropical hibiscus and mostly with the cultivars of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. We know a great deal about those but not so much about these other species of hibiscus that you listed. Let us know how it goes!

[Chris]

Thanks Cindy, here is what I got from the person who sent them to me:

"I would say these should all be hardy in your area
Comfortroot (Hibiscus aculeatus)
White Texas Star Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus 'Alba')
Neches River Rosemallow (Hibiscus dasycalyx)
Crimsoneyed Rosemallow (Hibiscus moscheutos subsp. moscheutos)
Wooly Rose-Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos subsp. lasiocarpos)
Hardy Hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos Luna™ Pink Swirl)
Halberdleaf rosemallow (Hibiscus laevis)
Hibiscus syriacus
Even though these should be hardy in your zone I would give them extra protection the first year"

"Hibiscus radiatus is a perennial but is frost tender so best grow in a pot. This one get very tall, very fast. one of mine in a pot got to over ten feet tall from seed the first year and kept falling over. So a wide pot or keep it trimmed. The take trimming very well and can be cut back several times a year to keep them shorter and bushier. Keeping it cut back will also keep the blooms closer to eye level rather than 10 or 11 feet off they ground.

Depending on what site you read Hibiscus sabdariffa and H. trionum can be classified as either an annual or perennial. Mine have both been outside and have survived temps as low as 34 degrees with some leaf damage. They are both frost tender so need to be in pots if you want to overwinter them in your zone. However H. trionum grows fast and blooms very early. I don't remember exactly but I think my H. trionum started blooming in about three months from seeds. They are supposed to reseeds profusely. Since they grow so fast they are best grown as annuals just save some seed for next year.
With the H. sabdariffa, if you get more that one seed to sprout I would try growing at least one in the ground and one in a large pot. I had one in the ground in full sun and had hundreds of bud, but some bad weather uprooted it and it didn't recover, but I think I would have had seed fairly early. The one that I harvested seeds from was in a pot and didn't get as much sun so it took longer to bloom and I think the cold weather hampered the seed maturing. So you might try both ways and see what works best for you. Either way grow in full sun for best results.
Hibiscus martianus I am not sure about. It is perennial but I have only one so I bring it in on days when it is supposed to freeze just to make sure. This plant is endemic to Texas and only grows wild in the counties along the Mexico border so I'm not sure how much cold they can take, so I keep mine in a pot."

I guess I'm still a bit confused though and of course I want to get the most I can out of the seeds I have. Would you recommend cold stratification for all just to be safe? If so, how long should I keep them in the refrigerator?
 

[Brenden]

That I'm unsure of Brendon. I guess I'll have to go back to the person who sent them to me and ask.

Tropical  seeds, are fuzzy, non tropical  are not

[Chris]

Thanks for that Brenden, that's very good to know.