Q.Nairobi Hibiscus
I live in Nairobi, Kenya and have several huge hibiscus ‘trees’ in my garden. Since we live on the equator, they bloom all year round but I am noticing that the inner part of these ‘trees’ is very bare with the leaves and blooms being limited to the outer part. My question – should I trim them back in order that they might ‘fill out’ more or just let them be? Even now the outer edges are filled with bright flowers that I would only cut for the betterment of the plant.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
This happens a lot to shrubs and trees that grow thick. The light can't get to the center and the leaves die in the center. I would not prune back wholesale, but rather selectively prune to allow more light into the center of the tree. Cut back smaller branches that are crossing one another, especially. Do not cut more than 1/3 off in any one year.
