Simple Pleasures

[helixturnhelix]

Kerry,

I would just prune it about 1/3 of its current size.  I had a similar problem with my Sunkissed Blonde, and I pinched the tips on all of them and after about a month BAM new growth.  It started off slow, but now it is starting to take off pretty quick.  It all comes down to changing those hormone concentrations, and inducing new growth.  Pinching decreases auxin and by relative concentration cytokinin is higher and higher levels of cytokinin than auxin usually induce new shoot formation. So I think pruning and repotting will be just what the doctor ordered

[Nievesgirl]

That is the thing Chris, I did prune it a month ago lol. My lady bug was doing the same thing - no growth and I potted that one bad also.  I just repotted it and it is growing new leaves FINALLY.

[blupit007]

I got SP as a gift in an 8" pot.  It never has the pink that some of your photos posted here have.  Mostly yellow, with a small pink hue around a maroon eye.  I have tried to cross it with everyone both ways, and none have taken.  Does SP have good pollen or set seed?

[Charlie]

Hi Kristen,

Does yours look like any of the photos on page 1 of this topic? There are a lot of photos there showing the range of colors that Simple Pleasures has in different growing conditions. If it does not look like any of these I would start to wonder why.

Simple Pleasures does set seed and has excellent pollen. Remember, not all varieties are compatible genetically and after crossing those that are not the pods just fall off. Also, the conditions make a difference - particularly temperature. Too hot days or too cold nights also result in failure. Another cause of a cross not to take is if either flower is too old and the reproductive parts have dried out too much before making the cross. For best results fresh pollen is applied to a recently opened flower.

Charlie

[blupit007]

OK, I don't get blooms every day, so I do use day old ones on new ones sometimes...  I get a lot a yellow, with a maroon eye, and a slight pink in between.  Not as pink as in your photos on the web.  Im sure it is SP.  But just wondering.  Especially since I had no crosses work from it yet.  I tried Saffron, Belle, Cindy's Heart, and the Baja Breeze along with the Sunny wind.

[Charlie]

One trick some people use to assure fresh pollen when they need it is to refrigerate it. Film canisters were a popular choice (probably hard to find nowadays) to use for this purpose. A few drops of water in the bottom and then cut the staminal column with the pollen attached and place it inside the canister. It will store in the fridge like that for several days although the sooner it is used the better. There has been some discussion of freezing pollen for long term storage but I don't know of any success pollinating with previously frozen pollen.

Charlie

[LJG]

For the last two years it has died back about 75%. But as usual it grows like a weed come Spring. This is my fastest growing Hibiscus.

[Charlie]

Now that's impressive! Thanks for showing.

Charlie

[Denise]

I received my 6 inch Simple Pleasures in Spring 2011. It was huge! (the first 6 inch I have sprung for, all my others have been 4 inch). I don't have any pictures from when I first got it, but you can see in the pictures I do have how much growth it had, just between the beginning of August to the end of September. It got some sunburn at first, but has completely recovered from that and is so healthy looking! I love it! The blooms are huge, colorful and ruffly. They last about 3 days or so. Very easy to grow. Plant it, water it and watch it bloom

[Denise]

Here are some more shots of my beloved Simple Pleasures... 

[Nievesgirl]

I let my friend baby sit some of my CVs because he wanted some flowers in his backyard. I went over there last month and SP was looking like it was dead. It was in shade and all leaves dried up and lots of small branches died back. I did the trust worthy scratch test and it was surprisingly alive. It probably has been in that shaded spot for month during the summer. I took it home and now its has a million new leaves.

I have to go rescue my other 3 plants once he moves again lol

[Denise]

I thought I'd add a few more pictures to this thread. It is such a beautiful plant and flower. The colors are very bright and bold. They are really hearty. I had a bloom open during a very strong windstorm and the next day, the bloom did not even seem phased, whereas my High Voltage was bent and torn. Very nice hibiscus!!

[Denise]

A couple more...

[Nievesgirl]

Denise Nice pictures. I don really like pinks but Simple Pleasure is a nice CV. I am really happy its nice and hardy especially after the trauma mine experienced at my friend house.

[LJG]

Is anyone else growing this outside in cooler areas? This plant is very susceptible to tip die back for me. In fact it has already started again. I just cut off three branches as they had the rot going. Has anyone else noticed this?