They are one of the most colourful flowers that can be added to any garden – and with summer finally arriving, there’s never been a better time to boost your hibiscus plants to make them turn pink or a deep and vivid red. Hibiscus plants are some of the most popular in the UK, and their bright and changeable colouring goes some way to explaining it.
According to GardeningKnowHow, hibiscus flowers can go from white to pink to red all within a single day, and almost all varieties can produce colour-changing flowers under the right conditions. There are several factors which can influence flowers’ colours, including temperature, sunlight, nutrition and the acidity of the soil in your garden. Ultimately, however, if you give the hibiscus plant lots of sunlight and you add fertiliser to the soil, it will turn from white to a bright pink and finally to a vivid orange or red.
This is because hibiscus produce flowers which change colour over the course of their life cycle, but usually only if they’re well looked after.
But if you leave it in the shade or a colder spot, or feed it less, its colour will stay pale, say gardening experts.
GardeningKnowHow says: “If you’ve ever noticed the flowers on your hibiscus turning a different colour, you’ve probably wondered what was behind the change.”
It adds: “Each hibiscus variety has its own genetics that determines what pigments, and what range of colours it can produce. However, within that range, temperature, sunlight, pH, and nutrition can all affect the levels of different pigments in a flower and what colour they appear.
“Nutrition is also a factor in colour changes. Adequate sugar and protein in the sap are required for anthocyanin production. Making sure your plant has enough fertility and nutrients is important for vibrant colors in anthocyanin-dependent flowers.
“So, depending on its variety, your hibiscus changed colour because of some combination of temperature, sunlight, nutrition, or pH has taken place. Can gardeners control this hibiscus colour change? Yes, indirectly – by controlling the plant’s environment: shade or sun, good fertility, and protection from hot or cold weather.”