Q.Hibiscus
I live in Illinois and brought my plants in for the winter, they are losing lots of leaves and are pretty leggy, can I trim them down during this time?
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
It is normal for them to lose some of their leaves when you bring them inside - also lose leaves as they go into dormancy. While pruning is most often performed in spring, as long as the plant is kept indoors, it is ok to trim it back some. Generally, the legginess comes from a lack of light but if you are coaxing the plant into dormancy, then you will want it in a darker location. Here is more info on over wintering and pruning back hibiscus: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hibiscus/wintering-hibiscus-indoors-winter-care-for-hibiscus.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hibiscus/tips-for-pruning-hibiscus-plants-when-to-prune-hibiscus.htm
Oh yes, they can take a real trim. Ours got trimmed this week, and are almost nothing but stubs. I give a tip pinch in spring as they start active growth to induce more branching.
