Guess the plant (non-orchid)

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Ernie, we have at least one white one. I've tried to grow the seeds from it before, but they've all looked bad from the start. My dad told me the nursery owner told him she thought they were sterile. Not sure if it's true but so far, I believe her. I'll keep trying and if I get seedlings I could send you a few.
 
Hecks yes. Will swap you something for a white one. I've also heard the seeds are difficult/impossible to germinate. Maybe they need set on fire or scored with a file or partially digested by an ivory-billed woodpecker?
 
We've had no problem growing the red variety from seed. In fact, they pop up all over the yard, but all the white seed I've ever harvested has been all shriveled up coming out of the pod.
 
Found a "local" with a white water hibiscus. Since seeds don't seem to germinate, anyone every try rooting cuttings of these??? Any tips appreciated.

BTW, this beast has six flowers open today!!! Most we ever got before in one day was two (maybe three?). Of course, they'll be withered by the time I get home from work. Will try to get my wife to snap some pix.
 
Hey Ernie,
Florida is the land of house plants run amuck. Stick a fragment of anything in the ground and it will grow to gargantuan proportions ;)

Hibiscus in general can be propagated by cuttings. The commercial guys do it all the time with the other hibiscus. I would suggest making the cuttings from semi-mature wood (a portion of a twig from this year, that has matured enough that a thin bark is starting to form, leaves are fully expanded and have hardened off. Your cutting should be 3 to 5 nodes long, discard the tender new shoot end of the twig. Remove all but 2 or 3 leaves, chop each large leaf back to leave an inch or 2 of fan of leaf surface to photosynthesize. This leaf chop lowers the demand for water to more in line with a rootless stem. Then stick the cuttings in a pot, water well, drop the pot into a plastic bag and seal it, set in shade and then wait. Should see roots within 6 weeks if temps are above 75 F at night and higher in day. Do this before day length drops to less than 12 hours, and you will have best chances of striking roots. Rooting hormones (as Ray B mentioned) are useful, but not mandatory.

Low tech alternate: it is possible, though % of success will be lower, to just stick your cuttings in a glass of water on the windowsill, pot the cuttings that put out roots. Not a dificult genus to propagate.

You should be over-run with them in no time
 
Thank you for showing this wonderful plant! It's now at the top of my "must-have non-orchids" list. :D

The flower is huge! :eek:
 

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