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Flowering plants · A little practice · 5 min

Share a flowering hibiscus through cuttings

Root a non-flowering shoot in shelter before moving it into a Gulf garden.

Reference photograph: Andrew Fogg · CC BY 2.0. Display may be cropped. Not the offered plant or packet.

By Growhood · Updated

Watch the technique

Follow this article's GCC timing and care advice alongside the demonstration.

  • Growing hibiscus from cuttingsBy City Steading Plant Life on YouTube
    Video notes

    A practical cutting demonstration. Hibiscus species and varieties differ, so retain this article’s plant identification, ventilation and Gulf heat precautions rather than assuming every variety roots the same way.

    Links only, with no embedded player or autoplay. Video link checked .

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Growing instructions

  1. 01

    Identify the hibiscus and choose new growth

    This method is for tropical Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, not a promise that every hibiscus species needs the same treatment. Select a healthy, non-flowering shoot with flexible growth and a firming base. Avoid branches with pests or sticky residues. Get permission before cutting a hedge or a neighbor's plant.

  2. 02

    Prepare a short cutting

    Take a 7 to 10 cm tip cutting with clean secateurs, making the lower cut below a leaf joint. Remove flowers, buds and lower leaves, leaving a small number of upper leaves. Keep it shaded while you prepare the pot so the soft stem does not dry out.

  3. 03

    Plant in a fresh rooting mix

    Use a small drainage pot and lightly moist, airy cuttings mix. Make a planting hole and insert the lower bare stem. Firm gently. If using rooting hormone, follow its instructions and keep it away from children. Drain all excess water rather than leaving the pot standing in a saucer.

  4. 04

    Provide warmth without baking it

    Keep in bright indirect light and steady warmth. RHS propagation guidance uses roughly 24 to 27°C at the root zone; a GCC summer balcony can be far hotter, not better. A loose clear cover can reduce moisture loss in dry air, but ventilate and keep it entirely out of direct sun. Remove decaying leaves.

  5. 05

    Acclimate a rooted cutting before sharing

    Allow roots and healthy growth to form before removing a humidity cover gradually. Pot on carefully and introduce outdoor morning light in stages. Do not move straight from an AC-cooled room into midday sun. Share once established, with flower colour if known and the parent's actual growing conditions.