Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Yellow Hibiscus
Yellow Hibiscus is a tropical shrub with big yellow flowers against glossy green leaves. It gives an entry or courtyard a tropical look and flowers most of the year in the Valley, heaviest in spring and fall. It grows fast, keeps its leaves year round and suits large pots. Plant it with morning sun and afternoon shade, and keep the soil evenly moist.
Best for: an entry or courtyard accent, an informal hedge on the east side, and large glazed pots.
Big yellow flowers and glossy leaves make it an accent by an entry or in a courtyard. Morning sun with afternoon shade suits it best.
Set plants about 4 to 6 feet apart along an east-facing wall for a loose flowering hedge or screen. Each grows 5 to 10 feet tall.
It does well in a large pot on a patio. Feed it regularly through the warm season, and move the pot under a roof when a freeze is coming.
The hot west side of the house is hard on it in summer. Frost below about 30°F damages it, and alkaline soil can yellow the leaves without added iron.
- 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 hibiscus grow in full sun in Phoenix?
It does better with afternoon shade here. Plant it where it gets morning sun, like the east side of the house, and keep it off hot west walls.
How often should I water hibiscus in Phoenix?
Keep the soil evenly moist but draining. In extreme summer heat, water weekly or more, and water less in winter.
Can yellow hibiscus grow 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.
How cold can hibiscus take?
It is frost tender and does best above about 30°F. On freezing nights, drape frost cloth or an old sheet to the ground and move pots under a roof. Take covers off in the morning.
Why is my hibiscus dropping buds?
A sudden cold snap 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?
In the Valley, alkaline soil often yellows the leaves between green veins, so add an iron product for plants. Soggy soil and cold snaps also yellow leaves, so let it drain between waterings.
What bugs attack hibiscus?
Aphids and whiteflies are the common ones, often clustered on new leaves and flower buds. Check the plant often, figure out which pest you have, then treat for that one.
How big does yellow 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.
How far apart should I plant hibiscus?
Plant them about 4 feet apart for a dense hedge row, or about 6 feet apart for a bed or loose screen. The Spacing tab counts plants for your row.
When should I prune hibiscus?
Prune in spring after frost danger, from late February to mid March in the Valley. Give it a light trim or a harder cutback, and wait on frost damage until then, since early pruning lets the next frost do more harm.
Should I fertilize hibiscus?
Yes. Feed it regularly through the warm growing season for the best flowers.
When should I plant hibiscus?
Plant it in spring after the last frost, around March in the Valley. Avoid planting just before winter, since it is frost tender.
Yellow Hibiscus for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Yellow Hibiscus adds big yellow flowers to Valley entries and courtyards for most of the year. It wants morning sun, afternoon shade and steady water. This page covers where to plant it, spacing, water, feeding, yellow leaves, frost and pruning.
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.
Yellow hibiscus in Phoenix
Yellow hibiscus does best with morning sun and afternoon shade, like an east-facing entry. Keep the soil evenly moist and feed it through the warm season.
Hibiscus in pots in Arizona
Hibiscus does well in large pots on patios and in courtyards. A pot makes frost nights easy, since you can move it under a roof.
Watering hibiscus in the desert
Keep the soil evenly moist but draining. Water weekly or more in extreme heat, and feed it regularly through the warm season.
Protecting hibiscus from frost
Hibiscus is frost tender and does best above about 30°F. Cover plants in the ground or move pots under cover on freezing nights.
Yellow leaves on hibiscus
Alkaline Valley soil can yellow the leaves between the veins, so add an iron product when you see it. Soggy soil and sudden cold snaps can yellow leaves too.
Aphids and whiteflies on hibiscus
Aphids and whiteflies are the most common hibiscus pests, and they tend to cluster on new growth and flower buds, so check there first.
Hibiscus as an informal hedge
Hibiscus can be used as an informal hedge or screen. Space plants about 4 to 6 feet apart on the east side, where they get afternoon shade.
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