🌺 Variegated Hibiscus (Kupari) - The Complete Guide to Growing and Care
📋 Quick summary - everything you need to know at a glance
Full sun - partial shade
Full sun = bright colors!
Medium-high
Moist soil, not wet
Garden / Balcony / Flowerpot
Also suitable as a hedge
Easy-medium
Also suitable for beginners
Non-toxic
16-32°C
Sensitive to frost!
🌱 Getting to know the variegated hibiscus
Naming and identification
- Hebrew name: Hibiscus variegated, Hibiscus cupri
- Scientific name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Cooperi'
- Common Names: Variegated Hibiscus, Cooper's Hibiscus, Checkered Hibiscus
- Family: Malvaceae
Origin and history
The variegated hibiscus is a special variety of the Chinese hibiscus (Chinese rose). It is native to tropical Asia and the Pacific Islands. The variety 'Kupari' has won the RHS Award of Garden Merit for its spectacular colorful foliage.
Why grow variegated hibiscus?
- 🎨 Colorful foliage: green, white, pink and burgundy!
- 🌺 Spectacular flowers: red, 10 cm in diameter
- 🦋 Attracts butterflies: and also bees and hummingbirds
- ✂️ Easy to shape: responds well to pruning
- 🏆 Award-winning variety: RHS Award of Garden Merit
- 🌿 Evergreen: in warm areas
Special features
- Height: 1-2 meters (up to 3 meters)
- Width: 60-90 cm
- Leaves: narrow, variegated green-white-pink
- Flowering: Almost year-round in warm areas
🎨 The colorful foliage - the real star!
What sets Hibiscus Kufri apart from all other hibiscus is its stunning foliage - not just the flowers!
Young leaves
Almost white with green dots, pink edges and veins
Mature leaves
Mottled in olive green and white, the pink fades over time
In full sun
The most vibrant and spectacular colors!
onion
The leaves turn greener (but come back in the sun!)
To maintain the bright colors of the leaves, it is essential to grow in full sun! In low light or in winter, the leaves will turn greener, but will return to their colorfulness when they receive full sun again.
🌤️ Growing conditions - the key to success
☀️ Light
Ideal light type: Full sun (6-8 hours per day) for maximum colors!
Minimum: Partial shade - the plant will survive but the colors will be less intense and the flowering will decrease.
Bright colors, abundant blooms
Less color, fewer flowers
💡 Tip: If the plant is in a pot at home - place it near a south or west window. In the summer, you can take it outside!
💧 Irrigation
Frequency: Regular watering - keep soil moist but not wet.
By seasons:
- Spring-Summer: Generous watering, daily on hot days
- Fall-Winter: Significant reduction, let the soil dry slightly between waterings
Leaf and bud drop, like a miche
Root rot, yellowing
🌡️ Temperature
Ideal range: 16-32°C
Cold resistance: Sensitive to frost! Do not expose to temperatures below 10°C.
- Summer: tolerates high heat well (up to 35°C and above)
- Winter: Bring indoors or into a greenhouse if frost is expected.
- Humidity: Likes medium-high humidity (50-60%)
- Central and Coastal: Can grow outdoors all year round
- Jerusalem and the Mountains: Protect or Let In in Winter
- North: Recommended in a pot that can be moved
🪴 Land and planting
Soil type:
- ✅ Rich, fertile soil
- ✅ Excellent drainage (critical!)
- ✅ Neutral to slightly acidic pH (6.0-7.0)
- ✅ You can add compost or organic matter
Recommended potting mix:
General potting soil + perlite (20%) for good drainage.
Planting in the garden:
- Dig a hole twice as large as the root ball.
- Add compost to the soil
- Maintain a 60-90 cm spacing between plants.
- Water well after planting.
🧪 Fertilization
Important principle: Hibiscus is a "heavy eater" - it needs regular fertilization for maximum flowering!
Fertilization schedule:
Fertilize every 2-4 weeks
Gradual reduction
Break or minimum
Fertilizer type:
- Balanced fertilizer: equal NPK (like 10-10-10)
- To encourage flowering: Fertilizer with more phosphorus (P) - like 7-9-5
- Slow-release fertilizer: a convenient all-season option
- Iron: Add occasionally to prevent chlorosis (yellowing of leaves)
Too much nitrogen (N) will cause leaf growth at the expense of flowering! If the plant is full of leaves but not flowering - reduce the nitrogen.
✂️ Pruning and shaping
The importance of pruning: Pruning improves the shape of the plant, encourages branching (more branches = more flowers!) and maintains a controlled size.
When to prune?
- Main pruning: Late winter/early spring - before new growth begins
- Light pruning: throughout the season to maintain shape
- 🚫 Avoid: Heavy pruning in the fall before winter
How to prune?
- ✂️ Prune up to a third of the plant's height in spring
- ✂️ Cut above a leaf node (at an angle)
- ✂️ Remove weak, dead or crossing branches
- ✂️ Trim ends to encourage branching
Hibiscus blooms on new growth! The more you prune (correctly), the more new branches = more flowers. But don't prune too late in the season.
🔄 Multiplication
Preferred method: Cuttings - the easiest and fastest method!
Propagation from cuttings - step by step:
- Choose a branch: a semi-woody cutting 10-15 cm long
- Prepare: Remove lower leaves, leave 2-3 upper leaves.
- Dip: in rooting hormone (recommended but not required)
- Plant: in a mixture of perlite and moist peat
- Cover: In a plastic bag or transparent box (mini greenhouse)
- Wait: 3-6 weeks for rooting
- Transfer: To a regular pot when the roots are developed
🕐 Recommended time: Spring-Summer (higher success)
Additional methods:
- Woody cuttings: in winter - takes longer
- Blessing: Bending a branch to the ground - easy but slow
🔧 Common problems and solutions
🟡 Yellowing leaves
Possible reasons:
- Improper watering (too much/too little)
- Iron deficiency (chlorosis)
- Nitrogen deficiency
- Sudden change in conditions
Solution: Check irrigation, add fertilizer with iron
🌸 Bud shedding
Possible reasons:
- Sudden temperature changes
- Moving the plant
- Lack of water or excess
- Pests (thrips)
Solution: Stabilize conditions, don't move a flowering plant
🚫 Not blooming
Possible reasons:
- Too little light
- Too much nitrogen in the fertilizer
- Pruning at the wrong time
- Plant too young
Solution: More sun, fertilizer with high phosphorus
🌿 Green leaves (not variegated)
Reason:
- Lack of light!
- Normal in winter
Solution: Move to a brighter place - the colors will return!
🐛 Common pests
On new growth. Potassium soap, neem oil
In dry air. Water spray, pest control acres
White lumps. Alcohol, potassium soap.
Under the leaves. Yellow traps, soap.
Damages buds. Targeted pest control
On branches. Manual removal, oil
Weekly inspection of the plant, good ventilation, and avoiding overcrowding will prevent most pest problems!
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, a hibiscus flower only lasts a day or two . But a healthy plant produces new flowers all the time, so the blooms last for months!
Yes, but it needs a lot of light! Near a south-facing window or with artificial lighting. Expect at least less colorful flowers and leaves compared to growing outdoors.
This happens due to lack of light . Move the plant to a brighter place and the colors will return! This is also normal in winter when there is less light.
In most central and coastal areas - yes. In cold areas (Jerusalem, Golan, mountains) - it must be protected or brought indoors. It does not tolerate frost!
Young plants - every year in spring. Mature plants - every 2-3 years, or when the roots come out of the drainage holes.
Absolutely! Hibiscus is an excellent plant for a butterfly garden. It also attracts hummingbirds (scouts) and bees.
Chinese hibiscus (including the variety) is tropical and sensitive to cold . Syrian hibiscus is cold-hardy and deciduous (sheds its leaves in winter). Syrian is more suitable for cold areas.
🎯 Garden and landscape uses
Focus plant
Point of interest in the garden
Decorative flower pot
For a balcony or patio
hedge
Colorful and blooming
Near a pool
Tropical look
Butterfly garden
Attracts pollinators
Color contrast
Near dark green plants
🇮🇱 Adaptation to the Israeli climate
Hibiscus is a variety that is excellently suited to most regions of Israel! Our Mediterranean climate is ideal for it.
🌴 Central and coastal lowlands
- Very suitable! Grows outdoors all year round
- Can become a large and impressive shrub
- Almost continuous flowering
- ⚠️ Protect in summer from too strong midday sun
🏔️ Jerusalem and the mountains
- Recommended in a pot that can be moved.
- Bring into the house on cold nights
- Or cover with Agrotex fabric in frost
- Flowering mainly in spring-autumn
🌾 North and Valleys
- Grows well in most areas
- Protect from frost in valleys
- Generous watering in summer
🏜️ South and Negev
- Requires partial shade during the afternoon.
- Increased irrigation!
- Humidifying spray
- ⚠️ Protect from hot winds
🛒 Recommended products from Deco Garden
Hibiscus variety
Seedlings in various sizes
Fertilizer for flowering
Rich in phosphorus
Potting soil
Drained and rich
Flowerpots
With excellent drainage
Organic pest control
Against pests
Quality shears
For proper pruning
📊 Summary table - all information in one place
| category | Details |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Light | Full sun for maximum colors! |
| 💧 Irrigation | Medium-high, moist soil |
| 🌡️ Temperature | 16-32°C, sensitive to frost! |
| 🧪 Fertilization | Every 2-4 weeks in spring-summer |
| ✂️ Pruning | End of winter, before new growth |
| 🌱 Multiplication | Spring-summer cuttings |
| 📏 Size | 1-3 meters high, 60-90 cm wide |
| 🌸 Blossom | Spring-Fall (year-round in warm areas) |
| 🎨 Foliage | Green, white, pink, burgundy |
| 🌺 Flowers | Red, 10 cm, one day |
🌺 Deco Garden - Color and life for your garden
Do you have questions about growing variegated hibiscus? Need help? We're here for you!
📧 Contact us | 📱 Follow us on social media | 🌱 Buy plants and products
© 2025 Deco Garden - All rights reserved
The guide was written by the Deco Garden team of experts.