Question
I brought my hibiscus plant indoors this winter after leaving one outside all winter and killed it.  North Dakota is where I'm from--it should of been a no brainer.  Anyway, I'm happily surprised to have seen it bloom indoors early spring.  I took it outdoors this week and see that it has just been looking sick.  Leaves started to shirivle up and now are turning white!  weird spotted white leaves.  What is up?  Did I put it in shock?  What should I do?
Let me know.
Thanks so much!
Sabrina

Answer
Sabrina, this is a tender Hibiscus (which are so beautiful, I agree) that you wintered indoors because you don't live in Florida where they breed these lovely plants, and now you've put it outdoors and there are white areas on the leaves?

I have heard of other people having this problem with Hibiscus and other tropical plants.  They bring them indoors to keep them from the frigid winter area and in the spring, after things warm up, they bring them outside and there are white areas on the leaves and the plant gets sick.

I have grown Hibiscus, but always in a greenhouse under glass.  Tender plants are always in the brightest of suns all winter.  In spring, as it gets really hot in the greenhouse, I have to rush to get everything outside so they don't overheat on a suddenly hot day.

You have close to greenhouse brightness, I think. The problem with wintering indoors is that the plants adjust to the darker conditions.  When you move them into full spring sunlight very suddenly, they get sunburned.  Sometimes a leaf turns brown or black.  Some plant leaves have areas that turn white.  This can also be a sign by the way of a burn caused by fertilizer, or in the case of insecticides, by a chemical that is too caustic for the leaf such as Malathion on Morning Glories.  

There are other symptoms of shock in the case of your poor Hibiscus.  It seems to be languishing and some of the leaves are not dong well.  

I would put your plant under a tree or, if weather is not completely perfect, back inside until the weather is mild and pleasant.  Then place it for a week or so under a tree, on a porch or somewhere it is protected.  And gently bring it back into the bright sun.  Check to see how the roots are doing, if they need to be repotted you can do that now too, you don't want it to be rootbound.  After a bit of a rest, your Hibiscus should be good as new.  Then fertilize with a High Phosphate Fertilizer and watch it go to town!

I hope this works ... I believe it will ... let me know if you have any further problems (bugs etc).  Don't use bad chemicals, they are bad bad bad.  Summer's 'round the corner!