Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Red Hibiscus
Red Hibiscus is a tropical shrub with big red flowers and glossy green leaves, and single-petal reds are the toughest hibiscus in sun. It flowers most of the year here, heaviest in spring and fall, and hummingbirds come to it. It grows fast into a 5 to 10 foot shrub for an east-facing bed, a courtyard or a large pot. Give it morning sun, afternoon shade and steady water.
Best for: east-facing beds and walls, an informal flowering hedge, large patio pots, and hummingbird color near a courtyard.
Plant it along the east side of the house, where it gets morning sun and shade after noon. Space plants about 4 to 6 feet apart. Keep it off hot west walls, where summer sun is hardest on it.
Set a row 4 to 6 feet apart for a loose hedge or screen that flowers most of the year. It grows fast to 5 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Prune in spring after frost to shape it.
Red hibiscus does well in a large glazed pot or half barrel on a patio or courtyard. On a freezing night, move the pot under a roof. Keep potted soil evenly moist through summer.
Hot western sun sets it back, and frost below about 30°F damages it. Alkaline Valley soil can yellow the leaves between the veins, so add iron when you see it. It needs steady water all summer.
- Dense hedge row4 ft apart
- Bed or loose screen6 ft apart
Keep the soil evenly moist but draining. Water weekly or more in extreme summer heat, and cut back in winter when it grows slowly.
Hibiscus is frost tender and does best above about 30°F. On freezing nights, drape frost cloth or an old sheet to the ground, never plastic, and take it off in the morning. Move pots under a roof.
Prune in spring once frost danger has passed, from late February to mid March in the Valley. Pruning frost damage too early lets the next frost do more harm.
Feed it regularly through the warm growing season. If new leaves turn yellow between green veins, the alkaline soil is short on iron, so add an iron product for plants.
Aphids and whiteflies cluster on new leaves and flower buds. Check the plant often, figure out which pest you have, then treat for that pest.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Can red hibiscus take full sun in Phoenix?
Single-petal red hibiscus is the toughest kind for sun. Even so, it does best here with afternoon shade, so plant it on the east side and keep it off hot west walls.
How often should I water red hibiscus?
Keep the soil evenly moist but draining. In extreme summer heat, water weekly or more, and water less in winter.
Is hibiscus frost hardy?
No. It does best above about 30°F. On freezing nights, drape frost cloth or an old sheet to the ground, not plastic, and move pots under a roof. Take covers off in the morning.
Why is my hibiscus dropping buds?
Sudden cold is a common cause. Buds can fall when nights drop into the 30s, and lower leaves can yellow and drop too. Cover the plant on cold nights.
Why are my hibiscus leaves turning yellow?
Alkaline soil often yellows the leaves between green veins. Add an iron product for plants. Soggy, poorly drained soil also yellows leaves, so let it drain between waterings.
What bugs attack hibiscus?
Aphids and whiteflies, often clustered on new leaves and flower buds. Check the plant often, figure out which pest you have, then treat for that one.
When does red hibiscus bloom in Arizona?
It blooms most of the year here, heaviest in spring and fall, and each flower lasts a day or two. For steady flowers, give it morning sun, even moisture and regular feeding through the warm season.
How big does red hibiscus get?
It usually grows 5 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide at a moderate to fast pace. Plant hedge plants 4 to 6 feet apart, and see the Spacing tab for both options.
Can I grow red hibiscus in a pot?
Yes. Choose a large pot, such as a glazed pot or half barrel, for a patio or courtyard. A pot also lets you move it under a roof on frost nights.
When should I prune hibiscus?
In spring after frost danger, from late February to mid March in the Valley. Pruning frost damage earlier lets the next frost do more harm.
When should I plant hibiscus?
In spring after the last frost, around March. Avoid planting just before winter, since it is frost tender.
Do hummingbirds like red hibiscus?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the flowers, and so do butterflies. Plant it in an east-facing bed or a patio pot where it gets afternoon shade, and it keeps flowering for them most of the year.
Red Hibiscus for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Red Hibiscus brings big red flowers to Valley yards for most of the year. It needs afternoon shade, steady water and a plan for frost nights. Below is what to expect, from placement and spacing to water, yellow leaves, pests, pruning and cold.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Where to plant red hibiscus in Phoenix
Give it morning sun and afternoon shade, such as the east side of the house. Single-petal reds are the toughest in sun, but hot west walls are still hard on them.
Red hibiscus as a hedge
Hibiscus makes an informal hedge or screen. Plant about 4 to 6 feet apart where it gets afternoon shade, and shape it in spring after frost.
Watering hibiscus in the desert
Keep the soil evenly moist but draining. Water weekly or more in extreme heat, less in winter, and feed it through the warm season.
Protecting hibiscus from frost
Hibiscus is frost tender and does best above about 30°F. Cover plants in the ground with cloth or a sheet, not plastic, and move pots under a roof.
Yellow leaves on hibiscus
Alkaline Valley soil can yellow the leaves between the veins, and an iron product for plants fixes it. Soggy soil and sudden cold also cause yellow leaves, so let the soil drain and cover it on cold nights.
Aphids and whiteflies on hibiscus
Check new growth and flower buds. Aphids and whiteflies cluster there and are the most common hibiscus pests.
Red hibiscus vs pink, yellow and white
All are the same tropical hibiscus with the same care. Single-petal reds are the toughest in sun. We carry red, pink, yellow and white, plus a pink patio tree.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.