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jobeanator · 02-07-2010, 09:00 AM

im looking for plants to start growing for my tortoises, and i was wondering if any certain type of hibiscus is not reccomended for tortoises. im considering buying hibiscus syriacus rose of sharon. would this be ok or is there other reccomendations? i wanted to find the types of hibiscus that are hardy and can take colder temps, since i live in new york. let me know what everyone thinks or knows! i have seeds from carolina pet supplys that i plan on using. what are other people growing every year for there tortoises?

dmmj · 02-07-2010, 01:17 PM

I am pretty sure all hibiscus are safe, just make sure they are not spicy.

Roachman26 · 02-07-2010, 01:55 PM

I can't get hibiscus to grow here. They freeze in the winter and cook in the summer. The blue hibiscus is a different species and is supposed to be more cold tolerant. They all grow just fine 50 miles south of here at my parents house in L.A. There are lists out there for edible landscaping, I've got one some where, but I don't know if I'm allowed to post it. Should be able to google it.

**emysemys** · 02-07-2010, 02:37 PM

There are two kinds of actual hibiscus...tropical and hardy. The hardy will freeze back but re-grow from the roots in the spring. The tropical dies if it freezes.

Then there is the Rose of Sharon. It is in the hibiscus family and goes dormant during the winter, so lives through the frozen time period.

jobeanator · 02-07-2010, 06:00 PM

i want the hardy kind of hibiscus. would rose of sharon be good or would you reccomend another kind?

Roachman26 · 02-07-2010, 07:21 PM

(02-07-2010 02:37 PM)emysemys Wrote: There are two kinds of actual hibiscus...tropical and hardy. The hardy will freeze back but re-grow from the roots in the spring. The tropical dies if it freezes.

Then there is the Rose of Sharon. It is in the hibiscus family and goes dormant during the winter, so lives through the frozen time period.

I didn't know this! How well does the hardy type handle 120 degree weather and single digit humidity?

We have lots of roses, I can't kill those even when I try. Literally. How does the rose of sharon compare to regular roses?

**emysemys** · 02-07-2010, 08:32 PM

(02-07-2010 07:21 PM)Roachman26 Wrote: I didn't know this! How well does the hardy type handle 120 degree weather and single digit humidity?

We have lots of roses, I can't kill those even when I try. Literally. How does the rose of sharon compare to regular roses?

I believe the hardy hibiscus has to be planted in the afternoon shade...morning sun is ok. I have one next to my pond in the Yellowfoot pen. The frost kills the leaves and stems back to the dirt, but it comes back every spring. And our summers are in the upper 90's most days with a few over 100. Here's a picture of mine a couple springs ago:

[Image: 100_0400.jpg]

Rose of Sharon isn't related to a rose bush. Scroll down to post #5 here in this thread:

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-10091.ht...+of+sharon

This is Rose of Sharon. It can be pruned into a tree shape and goes dormant in the winter. It can be planted in full sun, but it has to be watered more than a normal tree.

tortoisenerd · 02-07-2010, 08:34 PM

Any kind that is organic (rare to find) or has sat for 6 months to leech out the pesticides.

**emysemys** · 02-07-2010, 08:36 PM

(02-07-2010 06:00 PM)jobeanator Wrote: i want the hardy kind of hibiscus. would rose of sharon be good or would you reccomend another kind?

Yes, I would recommend any Rose of Sharon for tortoise plantings. The tortoises will eat the leaves and the flowers.

terryo · 02-07-2010, 09:31 PM

I live in NY too, and Rose of Sharon are very hardy. Some people in my neighborhood use them as living fences. I have a nice size one and when the seeds drop off in the Fall, they grow all over the yard, and I have to just dig them up like weeds. I have two in my outdoor enclosure, and a couple in pots. Most people here cut them down or they would take over the whole yard. Also very fast growing.

jobeanator · 02-08-2010, 05:43 AM

yeah i heard it grows really fast. my sulcatas seem to really enjoy the flowers of the hibiscus. i could only find like one place to buy rose of sharon, and that was amazon but i bet if i looked harder i could find it. im going to start planting i think in early march since its still like in the 20's here!! i plan on putting it in my pen in the summer time for my sulcatas redfoot and leopards. where in ny are you located terry? i live right near lake ontario and we have gotten tons of snow and frigid temps! the joys of northern ny...

terryo · 02-08-2010, 10:49 AM

I'm in Staten Island. It's a small Island right across from Manhattan and Jersey. We get a lot of weather that the Jersey Shore gets since we're so close. It's in the low 20's today. Snow still on the ground.

You could get it in Home Depot or Lowes or any garden site on line. They have all different kinds of flowers. I have the plain one and a double flower one. They're very pretty.