Lollipops Hibiscus

Lollipops Hibiscus (Hibiscus 'Lollipops') is a dwarf hibiscus that holds at roughly 1m tall and 1m wide, which brings hibiscus flowers down to border height instead of fence height. It is deciduous and frost hardy, so unlike the tropical hibiscus most people picture, it grows in cool temperate gardens as well as warm ones. Pink to red flowers open in flushes through the warm months.

Why you'll love it

• Hibiscus flowers on a plant you can reach. At about 1m by 1m it fits a border, a small courtyard or a pot, where a standard hibiscus would swamp all three.
• Frost hardy, which most hibiscus are not. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, so southern gardeners can plant it in the ground.
• It handles damp ground. Wet feet tolerant, so it sits happily in a low spot or a bed that drains slowly.
• Pollinators and birds work it. Open flowers pull in bees and butterflies, and nectar birds follow.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 800mm apart, based on the 1m mature width, for a continuous flowering band along a path or the front of a bed. At that spacing the plants touch without shading each other out at the base.

Small gardens and pots. A 400mm to 500mm container is plenty, and a pot lets you move it out of the way while it is bare in winter. In a bed, use it as seasonal colour among evergreen foliage.

Growing Lollipops Hibiscus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and the more the better, because flowering drops away in shade. It grows across subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens and is frost hardy once established. In colder districts it drops its leaves early and shoots again in spring.

Soil. Not fussy. Enrich the bed with compost at planting and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the crown. It tolerates soil that holds moisture, so heavy beds that defeat other flowering shrubs work here.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells. Feed a complete fertiliser in early spring and again in early summer. A potassium rich food supports flowering, while heavy nitrogen gives you leaves instead.

Pruning. Cut the plant back by about a third in late winter, before new growth appears. Flowers form on the current season's growth, so that single cut keeps the display coming.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: tube stock and 45L. Tube stock is a young plant, cheap enough to plant a whole border, and it reaches full size within about two seasons. The 45L is a large established plant, the size to choose for a single feature position rather than a run.

Because it is deciduous, a plant delivered in the cooler months may arrive with few leaves or none. That is dormancy, not a dead plant, and new growth appears as the soil warms. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow and care for hibiscus in Australia
• Browse plants suited to small gardens
• Popsicle Hibiscus, a hybrid raised from this plant
• Ideas for low growing border plants

Common questions

Why has it lost its leaves?

It is deciduous, so it drops its foliage in the cooler months and reshoots from the base in spring. Resist the urge to dig it out over winter, and hold off the hard prune until late winter.

Is it the same as a tropical hibiscus?

No. Tropical hibiscus are evergreen and frost tender, while this one is deciduous and frost hardy, which is why it grows in cool temperate gardens where the tropical types will not survive a winter outdoors.

How far apart should I plant it along a border?

About 800mm apart. That matches its 1m spread, closes into a continuous band within two seasons, and keeps enough air between plants to avoid bare stems low down.