Why is my hibiscus looking like this?

i love my plant i had one before and i was foolish to think it would live outside all winter (was planted out there) this one is kept inside if its cool out. it wants to grow new leaves on the top but not down by the center. and as u can see its still blooming.



http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb113...



http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb113...
Why is my hibiscus looking like this?
How long have you had this one? is it new?

If it's new, it's probably shock/ adjustment. They are normally grown in Florida and shipped thoughout the nation. They may spend up to a week in a cool (refridgerated), dark truck.

Then some unhappy time in the store and then finally to your home. It isn't unusual for a plant such as that to drop many of it's older leafs. I used to work for a plant retailer, when we would get Hibiscus, until they acclimated, we'd literally shake them out to knock off all the dying leaves. Keep the watering even (don't let it dry out hard) and give it a mild water soluble fertilizer to help it adjust.



If you've had it longer (several months) and this is a new development, have you let it dry out too much (has it wilted recently?), have you fertilized it? Hibiscus aren't hard to grow as a houseplant, but they are a little tricky. Again, because of what they're grown in, we found that sometimes surface watering (watering at the top of the soil) wasn't sufficient. If the soil is pulling away from the sides of the pot, it might need to be submerged. Fill a bucket, that is larger than the plants pot, with water, dunk the pot in the water. Let it set there till the bubbles stop. Bubbles indicate areas in the soil mix that water can't enter. Use tepid to warm water, and allow the plant to completely drain before putting a saucer back under it, don't let it set in water.



I'd wager it's a newer plant, and your pics look like I might expect a newer plant to look like.



Give it some time, I think all will be well.



Good luck-

I hope that this helps
Reply:Hibiscus are evergreen but they still shed leaves so they can renew them and this may be your case. How much sun does yours get? They are a full sun outside plant, so yours may be just a case of getting too little sun, and he may look 'tatty' till you can get it outside again.
Reply:By the looks of the size of the stem / trunk. Its root bound. You need a larger pot. Just enough water so the dirt sticks to your finger.
Reply:I own a greenhouse and we grow and sell lots of hibiscus. There are several things I would do to it.



First, cut it back. Cut above the last nodes where the leaves are growing. I know it will look very ugly, but this will help it alot.



Second, transplant it to a bigger pot, at least double what it is in currently.



Third, the yellow leaves mean it lacks iron and needs nutrients. A good liquid fertilizer would work great.



Fourth, before you water it, make sure that it dries out completly. This is very important so that you do not develp fungus or white flies.



I wish you look. Hibiscus are such happy plants and I love the bright colors!~
Reply:Nothing wrong with that plant. They are tropical shrubs and grow large and leggy with bare stems and leaves and flowers at the top. I prune mine really hard in spring, then feed it well all summer and you get new shoots then flowers again late summer. It won't shoot from the base if you leave it, it will just get bigger and bigger. they like a LOT of water, too. Yellow leaves are just old ones
Reply:I'm with Phillip. Your Hibiscus is root bound and needs to be repotted in a larger container. When the container gets too small, the root will begin to grow in a circular pattern around the inside of the pot which causes it to strangle itself over time. It won't absorb water or nutrients as well either. Try repotting and as you do make sure you unwind the roots and separate them so that they will be spread out within the soil, and see if this doesn't clear it up. However, don't be surprised if it drops more leaves from the shock of repotting, but it should show improvement shortly there after.

Good Luck