Question
I removed my tree from the yard this past fall because a women told me that it would die if I left it out. I put it in a pot and it stayed on an enclosed back porch where it got sunlight. I replanted it two weeks ago. The tree has a lot of leaves but they are all small and does not seem to be getting any bigger and there are no buds on the tree. I also put weed killer down last fall after digging the tree up. Do you have any suggestions as to why my tree is behaving this way. Last summer it was beautiful. Do these trees also need to be dug up every fall?

Answer
Hi Arthur,
Thanx for your question.  There is a tropical hibiscus which is not hardy anywhere in the U.S. except maybe Florida, South Texas, Arizona and California and there is a hardy hibiscus which dies down to the ground but is hardy to Zone 5.  The tropical hibiscus has shiny leaves as opposed to dull leaves on the hardy hibiscus.  The hardy hibiscus flowers tend to be larger and more saucer shaped than the tropical variety which also come in reds, pinks, yellows and oranges.  When the tropical tree is brought indoors for the winter, it has a tendency to go semi-dormant at which time is will slow down or stop blooming and drop a lot of leaves.  It is slow to recover in the spring but once the days get longer and the temperatures warm up considerably the plant will begin to leaf out again and start blooming profusely.  If it is a tropical tree it should be brought in every year or it will not survive cold winters.  Why not leave it in a large pot and just move it and the pot in and out every year?  It will grow as a small shrub in a pot.  I hope this helps.
Tom