# All hibiscus are not equal



## ZEROPILOT (May 31, 2015)

I finally got around to taking photos of all of my different hibiscus flowers to show the ones that my group of Redfoot won't eat. 
The food bowl has almost every color that I have as well as one of the red, fancier, frilled flowers that are not as sought after..These all have large green leaves that the tortoises also love to eat and get some almost every day.
The second photo is of the smaller hibiscus with a longer stamen. The leaves are smaller and have a marbled coloration. These my tortoises will not touch. Not the leaves and only the stamen of the flower.


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## AZtortMom (May 31, 2015)

We have large red ones are that fading to white. My torts absolutely love


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## DawnH (May 31, 2015)

I have my first (and only, thus far) hibiscus and it is PINK. Tuleo ignores the leaves but loves the flowers... 

Go figure!

I am thrilled that you noted your groups likes... weird how they all ignore the marbled ones!


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## wellington (May 31, 2015)

@DawnH beautiful sully. 
Beautiful flowers and interesting how they are picky


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## Big B (Jun 1, 2015)

Thanks for sharing I will avoid the variegated hibiscus.


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Jun 1, 2015)

ZEROPILOT said:


> I finally got around to taking photos of all of my different hibiscus flowers to show the ones that my group of Redfoot won't eat.
> The food bowl has almost every color that I have as well as one of the red, fancier, frilled flowers that are not as sought after..These all have large green leaves that the tortoises also love to eat and get some almost every day.
> The second photo is of the smaller hibiscus with a longer stamen. The leaves are smaller and have a marbled coloration. These my tortoises will not touch. Not the leaves and only the stamen of the flower.


You have beautiful flowers! I wonder if they taste different.
Picky little guys


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## keepergale (Jun 1, 2015)

My guys love the flowers too. They are pretty selective as to which leaves to eat. Some they hardly touch but even the ones they eat are pretty far down the favorites list.


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## ZEROPILOT (Jun 1, 2015)

New, baby hibiscus leaves are kinda my GO TO food year round as a filler to ad to whatever else I have.


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## Cfr200 (Jun 3, 2015)

Rose of Sharon grows around here like weeds. My guys like the white flowers the best although they eat all of them but, the are Sulcatas. The nieghorhood kids pick flowers from my front yard and throw them over my fence where my two tortoises are waiting like sharks.


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## N2TORTS (Jun 3, 2015)

How'z this for some Hibi colors ....


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## snaofreno (Jun 20, 2015)

Touché Turtle loves the pink hibiscus and the leaves. Can't get enough!


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## N2TORTS (Jun 25, 2015)

Nomb ....nomb....


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## Amanda81 (Jul 21, 2015)

N2TORTS said:


> How'z this for some Hibi colors ....


I have been looking at these exact colors to add to mine. Are yours the dinner plate size blooms? I found seeds on eBay/Amazon but their pricey. I just have plain white and plain pink and wanted to add some blues and yellows.


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## Amanda81 (Jul 21, 2015)

ZEROPILOT said:


> I finally got around to taking photos of all of my different hibiscus flowers to show the ones that my group of Redfoot won't eat.
> The food bowl has almost every color that I have as well as one of the red, fancier, frilled flowers that are not as sought after..These all have large green leaves that the tortoises also love to eat and get some almost every day.
> The second photo is of the smaller hibiscus with a longer stamen. The leaves are smaller and have a marbled coloration. These my tortoises will not touch. Not the leaves and only the stamen of the flower.


I was actually going to ask about the hibiscus. I have some, pink blooms and white blooms, just the regular bushy kind. I was thinking about getting a Rose of Sharon bush so I could quit ripping leaves off my moms but then I started thinking, will Rose of Sharon offer something different to the torts that my own hibiscus doesn't? I googled it and Rose of Sharon comes up as a hibiscus, so would feeding it be any different then what I already have?


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## N2TORTS (Jul 21, 2015)

Hello Amanda ....yes they are large blooms around 8"-10".....The Names are
"Hugs N Kisses" ( the powder purple/yellow)
"Spin the bottle" (Bright looking one)
Most of the "exotics" are more spendy ......for sure. If you check back I will try and root some cuttings for you. If perhaps you do get some seeds.... make sure you nick the seed with razorblade or such , then gently using a fine sand paper or sponge rub the seed down and roughen outer "husk". Soak for about 24hrs. then happy planting , keep well watered.


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## N2TORTS (Jul 21, 2015)

Amanda81 said:


> I was actually going to ask about the hibiscus. I have some, pink blooms and white blooms, just the regular bushy kind. I was thinking about getting a Rose of Sharon bush so I could quit ripping leaves off my moms but then I started thinking, will Rose of Sharon offer something different to the torts that my own hibiscus doesn't? I googled it and Rose of Sharon comes up as a hibiscus, so would feeding it be any different then what I already have?


Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) and Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) are cousins. Both are members of the mallow family, a large group of several hundred different plant species. While the flowers of rose of Sharon and Chinese hibiscus look similar, these plants are from different climates; one is temperate and the other tropical. So they thrive in different places.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/differences-between-rose-sharon-hibiscus-61587.html


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## Amanda81 (Jul 21, 2015)

N2TORTS said:


> Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) and Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) are cousins. Both are members of the mallow family, a large group of several hundred different plant species. While the flowers of rose of Sharon and Chinese hibiscus look similar, these plants are from different climates; one is temperate and the other tropical. So they thrive in different places.
> http://homeguides.sfgate.com/differences-between-rose-sharon-hibiscus-61587.html


I'm not sure how to word this, would me offering Rose of Sharon be different then offering Chinese hibiscus? Nutrition wise? I attempt to provide as much variety as possible but I wonder if it would be considered the same, diet wise?


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## Amanda81 (Jul 21, 2015)

N2TORTS said:


> Hello Amanda ....yes they are large blooms around 8"-10".....The Names are
> "Hugs N Kisses" ( the powder purple/yellow)
> "Spin the bottle" (Bright looking one)
> Most of the "exotics" are more spendy ......for sure. If you check back I will try and root some cuttings for you. If perhaps you do get some seeds.... make sure you nick the seed with razorblade or such , then gently using a fine sand paper or sponge rub the seed down and roughen outer "husk". Soak for about 24hrs. then happy planting , keep well watered.


Thank you!! I will check back with ya for sure. They must be very different then the ones I have. The way the seeds need to be done are way different then what I'm use to. The way I got the ones I have started was by accident. My grandmother had gave me a bunch of different seeds, months later I couldn't remember what was what so I simply three them all out along the foundation of my house and the next summer they just came up and they have basically taken care of themselves since. I pull little ones up every year cause they just keep popping up everywheres.


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## mike thornton (Jul 22, 2015)

I have access to the red white and yellow flowers my tort doesn't always like to eat the flowers but will eat the leaves every chance he gets


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