why won’t my hibiscus break dormancy?

Question

I have three hardy giant hibiscus, only one broke dormancy this spring. One got 1/2″ of green stem and green buds at the base but it never grew. The other one never got any green growth, but the roots are green. I had them all together through the winter, and watered them all the same. Is there anything I can do for these two to help them wake up? They are in pots outside on the south side of the house, get plenty of sun. What is wrong with them?

Answer 1

Are you sure they’re not dead? Check for green tissue in the branches — if there’s no green, they’re dead. Prune back the dead branches. If the branches are green inside, I would prune them back to around 2/3 of their length. As to why one would be growing and not the other two, perhaps the winter environment differed in some way, was harder on two of them. Or maybe just because plants are individuals, just like animals, and some are stronger than others.