Marianne's Response

Hardy Hibiscus Tree Dropping Seed Pods on Lawn

We have a beautiful hardy hibiscus tree growing in the corner of the back yard. Every spring it drops seed pods in the grass below it. The seed pods germinate in the grass and produce MANY new plants. This spring was especially wet and the amount of new hibiscus seedlings is crowding the grass out under the tree! In year’s past I have been able to pick the new growth out of the grass but this year there is way too much. What can I put in the grass to eliminate this? Is there a pre-emergent that will work on just the seedlings?

Thanks

Posted by Cathy Hawkins on June 21, 2019

Marianne's Response

Hardy hibiscus do indeed drop seeds due to squirrels, lack of water or just too many pods on one plant. Mow the lawn at least twice a week to cut the seedlings down before they get very tall.  You can also use a string trimmer. The seedlings will not grow if they are decapitated.  You could also try spreading newspaper or cardboard under the tree and covering this with wood chips or gravel. If the seed pods cannot reach soil they will not grow. As a last resort, open a nursery - selling just hardy hibiscus! Keep growing, Marianne Binetti

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