How To Prune A Tropical Hibiscus Tree

A tropical hibiscus tree is a perennial flowering shrub that has been carefully pruned until it achieves a tree-like shape. Plant tropical hibiscus outside in the garden in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11, according to the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Services. If you live in a colder climate, plant your hibiscus tree in a pot and bring it inside for the winter. Tropical hibiscus trees have bright, showy flowers that come in a wide variety of stunning colors.

Step 1

Stand back and look at your tropical hibiscus before you begin pruning. Visualize the overall shape and size you want to achieve.

Step 2

Use a sharp tree saw to take off the the lower branches. As the plant matures, continue to remove the lowest branches until the shrub begins to resemble a tree in shape.

Step 3

Shape the canopy by trimming the outer most growth. Use sharp pruning shears to trim back every third branch or so. At the next pruning session you can get the branches you missed this time.

Step 4

Clip off any suckers that are growing around the base of the tree from the primary root system.

Step 5

Remove any dead or diseased looking wood. Clean your tools with disinfectant after each cut when cutting off diseased wood to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the plant.