Hibiscus Plant Turning Yellow and Dying

Question

My hibiscus tree that I planted outside all of a sudden started to die. The gardener said it needed more water, so I’ve been soaking it every other day. It still is withering. Do you know what could be the matter with it? The leaves turn yellow, then brown and fall off. About 2/3 of the plant is now gone.

Answer 1

I’m not sure what zone you are in, but anything lower than zone 8 I’m surprised made it at all over the winter (unless it’s a hardy hibiscus). Hibiscus do not like over watering or too much room to grow (if planted in a container). Yellow leaves usually mean too much water, but conversely can also mean not enough. We know that’s not your situation. Try cutting back on the watering (only when top 3-4 inches are dry), give it a chance to recover, and try again. Whatever you do, don’t fertilize until it has almost fully recovered.