Q: I purchased a Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant and I wonder if it can go in my front (open) patio. I don’t see many others around here in Green Valley, so I guess the javelina like them.
A:Â The hibiscus you purchased, sometimes called Chinese or Hawaiian hibiscus, is a tropical variety and would probably be best grown in a container in your neighborhood so that you can bring it indoors during the winter.
They don’t tolerate the temperatures we experience in the cool part of the year. The javelina would probably enjoy it as well, so maybe you maybe you can find an elevated place to put it out of reach or grow it indoors.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions and requests for site visits may be emailed to
