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May 23, 2024 7:52 PM CST
Thread OP
8a (Zone 8a)
Japanese Maples Salvias Roses Irises Hummingbirder Foliage Fan
Ferns Dragonflies Dog Lover Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
I am not sure what is this shrub. First guess is Hibiscus, but the flowers (not many on it right now) do not have that characteristic protrusion from the centre of the blooms.

Whatever it is, it was here before I moved in and looks to be a cultivar. It helps to block some of the hot morning sun on my window. Its shape, however, is very asymmetrical. I suppose I nee to prune it, but I am not sure how to prune Hibiscus if that is indeed what it is. Any ideas?

Thanks! I tip my hat to you.


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It is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For life and death are one, and only those who will consider the experience as one may come to understand or to comprehend what peace indeed means.

~ Robert J. Grant
Last edited by Elysianne May 23, 2024 7:53 PM Icon for preview
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May 23, 2024 7:56 PM CST
Name: Tofi
Sumatera, Indonesia
Vegetable Grower Peppers Butterflies Garden Procrastinator Roses Bookworm
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That is a Pomegranate there are double petaled varieties too
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May 23, 2024 7:58 PM CST
Name: Zoë
Albuquerque NM, Elev 5310 ft (Zone 7b)
Bee Lover Salvias Region: New Mexico Herbs Container Gardener Composter
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Pomegranate.
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May 23, 2024 8:03 PM CST
Thread OP
8a (Zone 8a)
Japanese Maples Salvias Roses Irises Hummingbirder Foliage Fan
Ferns Dragonflies Dog Lover Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
I did not have a clue! Thank you both very much!

A few weeks ago the first "bloom" appeared, and at first they looked like fruit to me. They were very compact and a bit hard, but then they turned into blooms.

Does it need to be pruned? It looks very lopsided to me. Last Winter I was skeptical that it (and a few others around here) would even come back, but they all revived once it became warm enough.

So, I guess this is going to become a big tree?? If so, it is planted much too close to the house. That seems to be a theme around here....
It is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For life and death are one, and only those who will consider the experience as one may come to understand or to comprehend what peace indeed means.

~ Robert J. Grant
Last edited by Elysianne May 23, 2024 8:07 PM Icon for preview
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Jul 24, 2024 7:44 AM CST
Name: Ken
Winston-Salem, NC (Zone 7b)
Daylilies & hardy hibiscus
That's definitely an ornamental pomegranate. It looks exactly like one that grew at the first house I bought here.

The ornamental kind don't set fruit. They do get big, but not tree size that I can remember. Feel free to prune it back, though.
Hardy hibiscus are a hobby, but daylilies are an obsession.
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Jul 24, 2024 8:00 AM CST
Thread OP
8a (Zone 8a)
Japanese Maples Salvias Roses Irises Hummingbirder Foliage Fan
Ferns Dragonflies Dog Lover Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
Ken, you would not believe how big this thing has grown this year. I moved in last November, and I had no idea what it was. It was very scraggly and not very big, but this Spring it took off. It is close to completely obscuring the kitchen window now. I planned to severely prune it back this Autumn/Winter. I even wondered if I should cut it down. It is planted very close to the house. Do you know if its roots are bad for the foundation? People who lived here before me planted trees and shrubs much too close to the house.

Anyway, this Spring it made those orange flowers but only for a very brief time, and it did not produce many of them. I once saw a Hummingbird at the flowers. I have not seen a flower on it in months now, though. Shrug!
It is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For life and death are one, and only those who will consider the experience as one may come to understand or to comprehend what peace indeed means.

~ Robert J. Grant
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Jul 24, 2024 8:11 AM CST
Name: Ken
Winston-Salem, NC (Zone 7b)
Daylilies & hardy hibiscus
Like an ornamental cherry or almond tree, it'll just bloom once. If it didn't set fruit, then it's probably ornamental.

I'd prune it heavy. It'll fill back in. I looked for pictures of mine, which was definitely taller than 6'. No luck. I did whack it back to a foot tall, more than once.

I don't recall it having much of a root system at all. I had four o'clocks planted right under it, and an azalea right behind it. If it's too close to the house, though, you could dig it up and move it, or just shovel prune it (dig it out and toss it).
Hardy hibiscus are a hobby, but daylilies are an obsession.
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Jul 24, 2024 8:14 AM CST
Thread OP
8a (Zone 8a)
Japanese Maples Salvias Roses Irises Hummingbirder Foliage Fan
Ferns Dragonflies Dog Lover Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
Thanks, I am relieved to know that it can withstand severe pruning. I hung garland on it for Christmas last year (I like to decorate everything at Christmas!), and I will probably do so again this Christmas, but after Epiphany, I definitely will prune it back severely. I wanted to prune it now because it obscures my view of my feeders, but I was afraid pruning now would damage it, and it is not my intent to harm it.
It is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For life and death are one, and only those who will consider the experience as one may come to understand or to comprehend what peace indeed means.

~ Robert J. Grant
Last edited by Elysianne Jul 24, 2024 9:38 AM Icon for preview
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Oct 22, 2024 4:20 PM CST
Thread OP
8a (Zone 8a)
Japanese Maples Salvias Roses Irises Hummingbirder Foliage Fan
Ferns Dragonflies Dog Lover Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
Well, this Pomegranate took off like a rocket since I moved in last November. I did not feed it all year, but I did water it regularly. It only made a very few flowers in the Spring and then nothing the rest of the season. Maybe that was because I did not feed it.

It has now almost completely obscured the view from my kitchen window, so I definitely will prune it back severely this Winter. I originally planned to prune it back in November (next month), but I was looking at it today, and I had another idea. I think I will prune it a little to make it a bit more symmetrical, and then I will hang some Christmas decor on it for the holidays! It sort of looks like it could be a Christmas tree, or at least a Christmas bush, yes? Hilarious!

Then, after Epiphany, I will prune it back pretty severely---like you did with yours, Ken . It blocked the view of my bird feeders most of the Spring and Summer. I am sure whoever planted it there planted it to block the hot morning sun. The window faces directly east. I would rather keep the window blind half closed and still see my feeders any time I wish rather than have it block the sun and the view of my feeders. Besides which, the morning light is my favourite light of the day, and I do not want to block it out even if it is hot.

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It is not all of life to live, nor yet all of death to die. For life and death are one, and only those who will consider the experience as one may come to understand or to comprehend what peace indeed means.

~ Robert J. Grant
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