Volume 10, Number 4 – June/July 2013 Damon Veach, President and Editor Official Newsletter of the Red Stick Hibiscus Association 709 Bungalow Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70802-5337 [email protected] PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE The long, hot summer has arrived, and we are at the mercy of the heat and the pests that seem to love this period of time in our gardens. It is just another challenge we have to undertake because we have that determination to grow the biggest and the best plants we can. The extra work that comes our way is a small part of our gardening because we can always count on our beautiful blooms to make it all worthwhile. I find great pleasure in just watching my plants grow, and when a new seedling bloom opens, I am thrilled but don't make any hasty decisions of trashing this one until I've seen more blooms and studied the growth potential. Even if it is one of those that looks like another bloom already named, I still do that careful evaluation because of the parentage and in many cases will give these to friends or just plant them in the ground to enhance the beauty of my surroundings. Most of my seedlings have been the subject of a plan to pick and choose the parents in the hopes of getting that great new variety. It doesn't always work, but then again that is the joy of what we do. We welcome the challenge just as we meet the challenges of keeping them alive and healthy. I know that I have too many hibiscus plants in my collection, but I'm thankful that I don't have to mow any grass and I can sit in different places in the front and back gardens that allow me views containing all shades of colors. I still grow lots of the garden varieties just for this purpose. Regardless of heat, drought, and even neglect, they still reward me with so much pleasure that I would never grow just the newer varieties. I have a nice mixture in my gardens, and I'm happy with what I have accomplished in my rooting and grafting projects. Damon Veach 1

SURVIVING THE SUMMER HEAT Here's a quick list of things to remember and some of these you have already considered and done, but this is mainly for new members who missed the earlier spring meetings: • Gradually exposing your hibiscus plant to the outdoors. Place your plant in a shady or protected spot for a few days and then gradually increase the amount of direct sun it receives each day for about 10 days or so. After that, you can move it to its final sunny or semi-shaded summer spot. If you don't do this, your hibiscus leaves will fry and sunburn, just as you would if you were out in the hot sun for 8 hours without sunscreen after being indoors all winter. • Prune your plant preferably in the early spring if you wish to change the shape or height or induce a bushy flowering plant especially for show season, which for us in Louisiana and Texas is mostly in May and June. I apply this pruning technique to cuttings I'm rooting. • This is also the time to refresh the soil or re-pot your plants if needed. They don't like to be pot bound!) This is something that is appropriate to do all year, even in the winter if you have a greenhouse or proper place to work. It is especially needed for many new plants you buy during any time of the year. • Spray down both lower and upper leaf surfaces with the garden hose to remove any indoor dust or bugs after being stored for the winter or recently purchased. You'll be amazed how it rejuvenates your plant. Since this has already been done by most of us, and our plants have been through show season, it is time to check and spray for pests. • Fertilize with something like 18-10-28. • Avoid saucers with standing water under your hibiscus plants. It's perfectly normal for your plant to have yellow leaves or even drop some leaves in response to the stress of moving locations or to changes in temps. It is also a sign of new growth. Different varieties of hibiscus may have their own "personalities" and may not perform uniformly when conditions change. Isolate any new plants until you have determined they are not covered with pests. If you follow these general guidelines, your plants will be happy and thrive for many seasons. 2

ROOTING TECHNIQUES 1 - Decide what your goal is in rooting particular varieties a. Do I want this for hybridizing? b. Do I just want to add to the garden for continuing color? c. Do I want to share with others? d. How do I determine the importance of doing this? e. Determine which varieties are best for rooting/grafting 2 - Try rooting all cuttings when you are shaping up plants a. Best time to root is in the spring b. Plan space or locations for cuttings 3 - Use different methods until you determine what is right for you a. Regular potting soil b. Perlite/vermiculite mix c. Water d. In the ground e. Coir pellets f. Layering 4 - Examine cuttings closely (before and after) 5 - Watering, misting, location 6 - Number of cuttings in pots 7 - Keep records of successes and failures

FOLIAR FEEDING Foliar feeding is a technique of feeding plants by applying liquid fertilizer directly to their leaves. It has been known for many years that plants are able to absorb essential elements through their leaves. The absorption takes place through the stomata of the leaves and also through the epidermis. Movement of elements is usually faster through the stomata, but the 3

total absorption may be as great through the epidermis. Plants are also able to absorb nutrients through their bark. A popular version of the feeding is to use sea-based nutrient mixes, especially kelp, because they contain many of the fifty "trace nutrients." The more trace elements needed, the harder it is to balance them within the soil. Trace elements are considered most fit for delivery by foliar feeding. Kelp also contains some hormones considered good for the cellular development of the plants' leaves, flowers, and fruit, again making foliar feeding useful to organic gardeners who eschew artificial hormone applications. Generally speaking, it is recommended that foliar feeding be done in morning or evening, since hot days cause the pores on some plants' leaves to close.

GOOD PARENTS Brian Kerr in Australia introduced some interesting points on good hibiscus parents recently, and I wanted to share them with everyone. Good parents produce a high percentage of keepers (keepers have equal to or better traits than parents). Good parents would have all / specific to the purpose of the cross / most of the quality traits desired: a. Ruffled & tufted form b. Firm substance c. Open early in day d. Stay open for several days e. Just as appealing in winter as summer f. Bloom does not re-curve g. Bloom faces laterally or upwards h. Bloom does not fade/fades appealingly i. Blooms prolifically j. Compact, free branching bush k. Glossy green foliage l. Grows on own roots m. Disease resistant n. Sets seed easily 4

o. Has viable pollen p. Has colors / color combinations in its family tree that is appealing What variety is a good parent: a. One that has admirable traits and sets seed such as Fiesta, The Path, Cuban Variety … and many more b. One that has admirable traits and has viable pollen such as Herm Geller, Lady Cilento, Schizopetalus ... and many more c. Rosalind for doubles d. Topaz Glory for singles e. Tammy Faye for large blooms f. Ali Uii for minis g. Every hybridizer give their own goals and preferred CVs and list many more If you like a variety and it sets seed, cross it with another that has abundant pollen – you never know what you’ll end up with. According to Kerr: "I once crossed Vicki Lee with Moonshot and every bloom (20) was a potential keeper as they had substance like cardboard and stayed open for days – in fact too stiff as they took until 2 p.m. to open and then stayed trumpet like. In end as bush did not appeal, they got mulched." Reference keeping non-convincing seedling just for the potential of its parentage - yes Kerr has done this if a seedling was the only one. In cases where many seedlings came through, he chose the ones with traits he liked, especially seed setting capacity. When you choose the good parents, you should do the cross many times and get many seedlings growing and then you stand a greater chance of producing more seedlings with traits you admire. Potential is what it is all about … though once you do the cross, you may see a pattern, like Vicki Lee x Moonshot - or another to nearly always produce brown blooms in many different shades was found by Kerr to be a crosses of Topaz Glory x Tango.

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HIBISCUS MISCELLANEA EN PASSANT

Dottie Ziranski, RSHA Membership Chairman, accepts the Norman Reasoner Award for Most Amateur Exhibitors

Damon, Janelle, Todd, and Melanie standing; Rod and Elaine seated 6

Lata Johnson with her AHS Sweepstakes Award - Amateur Class

Steffan Callegan, Becky Bickham, Doris Pettus, and Dick Eiche 7

Judy and Jerry Brown (Damon and Melanie in background)

Susannah Magnuson and Simone Mahaffey 8

Peter and Carol Lazar

Damon Veach, Danny Fontenot, and Carolyn Cormier-Stoute 9

MAGNIFICANT HIBISCUS BEAUTIES

Baptistii This is one of the most unusual of all hibiscus. The blooms are usually three-inch clusters of crinkled, tissue-like petals of mixed red and white blooms with dark green, lustrous leaves which make this hibiscus one of the most unique of all hibiscus. It is definitely a conversation piece in any tropical garden and is a delightful addition to the Veach Collection on Bungalow Lane. It is also known as Baptist's Hibiscus or Shredded Red and White Hibiscus. Bumble bees and butterflies were on this bloom while being photographed, and hummingbirds are also drawn to this bloom. 10

Tropicana This is an older hibiscus variety hybridized and grown in Florida. It was found at a nursery there by Rob Pippenger, and he brought it to Dupont Nursery to propagate by rooting. You don't see this old one around that much anymore, so saving it is the goal here. I have one of these rooted ones in my Bungalow Collection, and I also have a grafted one that I bought from Matt Martindale at Hibiscus Place in Florida. It certainly brightens up my garden and usually has multiple blooms on an upright and beautiful plants. 11

Photo by Lillian Lopez-Farara

RED STICK HIBISCUS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP FORM NAME_______________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS____________________________________________________________________ CITY___________________________________STATE, ZIP__________________________ Phone:_______________________________________________________________________

E-mail:_______________________________________________________________________ Annual Membership Period – June 1 through May 31 - $35 per year for local and AHS dues: $45 for foreign memberships - (Members of other chapters $10 single or $15 per couple) Red Stick Hibiscus Association, 709 Bungalow Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70802-5337

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