New Bromeliad Garden at the Estates
By Karen Maxwell, Horticultural Specialist
In two years’ time, Edison and Ford Winter Estates will have the single largest collection of bromeliads anywhere in South Florida … that is if Tom Cowell, orchid and bromeliad specialist at the Estates realizes his dream. I recently found him in the new Bromeliad Garden staking a three-foot-tall flower bloom for the bromeliad that inspired his mission – a rare specimen with a striking red flower, Hohenbergia stellata “Marie Valentine,” which was donated by local nursery legend, Betty Ann (Kinzie) Prevatt in 2019. Fast forward two years, and nearly 95% of the bromeliads our visitors see have been donated by Cowell – or he has cajoled friends and growers to donate plants. Today, the Bromeliad Garden now makes up a substantial part of what used to be Edison’s research garden area, located just inside the entrance from Marlyn Road. This area is perfect for bromeliads because the ficus trees provide protective shade for the plants.
The plant family of bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) contains thousands of species and all are native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the New World, such as Central America and South America, of which the best-known bromeliad is commercial pineapple (Ananas comosus).* When explorers first found pineapple cultivated in the Caribbean on the island of Guadeloupe, they wasted no time distributing the delicious fruit around the world. By the late 1500s, large pineapple plantations could be found in India, China, the Philippines and all tropical zones of the Old or Western World. Pineapple has been so widely cultivated for centuries around the globe, botanists are no longer able to identify a wild or un-cultivated pineapple, and today they are considered a cultigen, a plant with no known wild parent.
In the late 1800s, there was something of a pineapple fever happening along the East Coast of the U.S. Prior to Edison’s purchase of his land in Fort Myers, an article by Sherman Adams for the Fort Myers News Press in 1885 documented coconut and pineapple plantations along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River. By 1885, coinciding with the year Edison purchased his initial 13 acres, almost every one of the families in Fort Myers (pop. 369) were growing pineapples and shipments from Florida were going for 60 cents per pineapple in New York! Upon their purchase of the riverfront acreage, Thomas Edison along with friend and business partner, Ezra Gilliland decided to get in on the action and planted 1,500 pineapples. Whether they grew the pineapples for shipping and profit, or for the fibers the plants produced is not certain, but along with planting cassava* for its latex (also used to make tapioca), these two plants gave rise to the largest experimental garden in the western hemisphere. By 1908, Cuba was out-pacing Florida in volume and pricing of pineapples and in 1910, a disease called Red Wilt decimated the Florida pineapple market, followed by two killing freezes in the winters of 1917 and 1918 and the Florida commercial pineapple industry never recovered.
It appears that Edison, with the help of his caretaker, wished to continue to grow pineapples to feed his family and staff but suffered erratic success. In 1907-1908, Edison brought in large quantities of dried clay and his property caretaker, Ewald Stulpner, tilled the muck into the sandy soil in the very spot where the Bromeliad Garden is now featured. Stulpner also built a shade house for nearly 400 Smooth Cayenne Pineapples, but lost them all in one year. Given how easy it is to grow pineapples in our loose soil, it is not known if they succumbed to root rot (pineapples should be started in early Autumn to be well established before the rainy season) or to soil borne plant parasitic nematodes. Now, most of the Smooth Cayenne Pineapples are grown in Hawaii and known as Hawaiian pineapple – these will soon re-appear in the Estates’ gardens.
Surpassing the pineapple in Florida, ornamental bromeliads have taken an important place in South Florida gardens for the wide assortment of colors, shapes, ease of care, and the versatility for use in a landscape or container. Bromeliads are tropical or sub-tropical plants, and most are epiphytic (growing in trees); although, there are several species that are terrestrial, where their roots anchor them to soil instead of trees. Almost all bromeliads reproduce vegetatively by pups or stolons, a type of stem that grows from the main plant. When you visit the Bromeliad Garden, look for many varieties that appear to be climbing up a host tree. If you mount them to a tree in your garden, take care to avoid using any copper wire, as bromeliads are highly sensitive to copper. An important key in succeeding with bromeliads, is to be sure to match the species or variety of bromeliad to its natural light requirements – this is the only way to ensure emergence of the best colors and leaf patterns.
The Estates’ Bromeliad collection is home to varieties that represent the three major sub-families that collectively are Bromeliaceae.
- Pitcairnioideae – These are generally terrestrial and the oldest family of bromeliads, and are frequently spiney but some have grass-like foliage. They do not have a center leaf rosette for trapping water and produce winged seeds. They are grown for interesting foliage. Dyckias* which are somewhat cold-hardy and Pitcairnias* in this sub-family do well in full-sun situations.
- Tillandsioideae – This is the largest group, is primarily epiphytic, and has smooth edged leaves with fuzzy or hairy seeds dispersed by wind. Air plants* (tillandsias), Spanish Moss* (which isn’t Spanish or a moss and is one of eighteen bromeliads native to Florida) and soft leaved Vriesea* and the popular Guzmania* are found in this grouping.
- Bromelioideae – Home to the widest range of bromeliad plant forms, these strong plants are the most frequently cultivated, sporting serrated or spiny leaf edges and the seeds and berries distributed by birds. This family includes the pineapple, which in nature, is pollinated by hummingbirds; Billbergias,* Bromelias,* Neoregelias,* compact Cryptanthus* and Aechmeas* which alone, account for 25 percent of the species in this sub-family.
Given the vast number of species available, it is understandable why collectors become so passionate about these colorful and easy-care plants. As primarily epiphytic, the roots of bromeliads – as in orchids – only serve to anchor the plant, and water and nutrition is collected in the center of tank-type bromeliads. To some gardeners, there is concern that these tanks provide a breeding ground for mosquitos. While mosquitos are a fact of life in Florida, an understanding of the type of mosquito and some preventative maintenance tips for bromeliad collectors should allay most fears. The mosquito larvae found in 98.8% of Billbergia pyramidalis,* a so-called tank-type bromeliad, was part of a study conducted by the University of Florida in Daytona, Tampa, Vero Beach and Miami, and determined to be the larvae of “Wyeomyia” a species of mosquito that does not transmit disease to humans. According to world-renowned entomologist, Dr. J. Howard Frank, Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida, there are three ecological steps one can take to minimize mosquito breeding if concerned: 1.) Do not allow grass clippings to get into the water reservoirs of planted bromeliads where it can collect and stagnate; 2.) Avoid tight, compact colonies of Neoregelia bromeliads where the rotting flowers will also stagnate and attract larvae; and 3.) Flush the reservoirs weekly with fresh water which will interrupt the mosquito larvae cycle. A couple of drops of vegetable oil every few weeks in the water reservoir will also smother any larvae, but do this sparingly to avoid hurting the plant itself. For further information on this subject, visit the Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies.
We hope you will soon find an opportunity to stroll the meandering paths through the enchanting Bromeliad Garden in the shade of a historic canopy and learn more about this popular tropical plant group. On December 4 and 5 we will host the annual Bromeliad Show and Sale of the Caloosahatchee Bromeliad Society. Experts and growers will be available to answer questions and offer plants for sale. If you would like information for landscaping with bromeliads, please contact me and I will be happy to email you the sheet.
If you wish to donate any unusual bromeliads to the Estates’ gardens, please contact the Horticulture Department. To learn more, enthusiasts can join the Bromeliad VIP Collectors, and the Caloosahatchee Bromeliad Society on Facebook.
*indicates plants in the Edison and Ford Winter Estates Gardens
Historical Connection: Tootie McGregor Terry
By Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator, Alexandria Edwards
Tootie McGregor Terry was an influential woman who left a major mark on Lee County, making Fort Myers a top tourist destination in Florida and the United States. She was born in 1843 to a middle-class judge, Epaphras Barber, in Cleveland, Ohio. After high school, she married Ambrose McGregor, an ambitious young salesman and barrel maker that she admired for his hard work. To support Ambrose during his early career, Tootie made efforts to save money and sewed clothes for her new husband in their apartment, which was located above a local grocery store.
Life soon changed for the McGregor family when Ambrose got a job working for two oil refineries owned by John Rockefeller and his partner Sam Andrews. By age 32, the young man served as the superintendent of all six of Standard Oil’s refineries and manufacturing operations in Cleveland. A few years later, he was promoted to President of Standard Oil.
In 1868, Tootie gave birth to their only child, Bradford, who became sick as he was growing up. Doctors advised the couple to winter in Florida in hopes that the warm temperatures and fresh air would help Bradford regain his health.
They were lured to Fort Myers for the region’s excellent tarpon fishing opportunities and purchased the former Gilliland home in 1892, located next to the Edison main house, for $4,000. They repainted the home with a warm yellow exterior and white trim and hired Nick Armeda, a 16-year-old captain and tour guide the Edison’s had met on their journey to Fort Myers, as their Caretaker. The family enjoyed exploring the beautiful waters along the Caloosahatchee River and caught a plethora of tarpon, breaking the region’s records for the largest ones that year. They also made large investments to aid the region, including buying more than $150,000 worth of businesses and agricultural land. On what became known as the McGregor plantation, they planted citrus trees and experimented with rice, coffee, and tobacco crops.
The oil tycoon later died of cancer in 1900 at age 58. After the death of her husband, Tootie remained faithful to Fort Myers and got involved in many projects throughout the city, taking an active role in its development. In 1904, she collaborated with one of Ambrose’s business partners, Harvie Heitman, to build a hotel at the corner of First and Henry streets named “The Bradford,” in honor of her son who had also passed away. A couple of years later, she rescued the city’s financially-troubled landmark, the Royal Palm Hotel, and also purchased the Riverside Hotel. This trio of hotels attracted numerous celebrities and well-known industrialists to the area.
While supporting Fort Myers, Tootie did not forget about her hometown. She partnered with her sister, Sophia Barber McCrosky, to establish one of Cleveland’s first private nursing homes. They called it a place for “gentlewomen who could no longer care for themselves.” This establishment, called the A.M. McGregor Home, was incorporated in 1904, and opened in 1908 with 25 residents. This home still serves Ohio’s elderly today.
By 1905, Tootie became reacquainted with one of her high school sweethearts, Dr. Marshall Terry, and they were married on December 12, 1905. Although she remarried, Tootie still sought ways to honor her former husband. She went to the city with a proposal, stating that if they agreed to pave Riverside Drive (an old dirt cattle trail) from Whiskey Creek to downtown Fort Myers, she would pay to have the portion from Whiskey Creek to Punta Rassa paved. She agreed to use any materials the City and the County chose, putting in all the necessary bridges and culverts along the way. Tootie also offered to pay a $500 annual fee to maintain the road for five years after it was constructed. Her only requirement was that this road be named McGregor Boulevard in memory of Ambrose McGregor. The city later agreed; however, Tootie did not live long enough to see the roadway completed. According to the Fort Myers Press, Dr. Terry purchased a barge and several three-ton trucks to haul the materials needed to construct the paved road. This project was completed on July 15, 1914, and the road was named McGregor Boulevard.
During the years they spent together, Tootie and Dr. Terry attempted to use several acres of privately owned land that was formerly a cow pasture to establish the Fort Myers Yacht and Country Club; however, that project never came to fruition. In 1921, they donated the land to the county with the stipulation that “all property shall be used as a park and public property.” It was used to construct a ball field and was named Terry Park in 1923. From 1926 to 1987, it served as a spring training home to several major league baseball teams, including the Philadelphia Athletics (1925-1936), the Cleveland Indians (1940-1941), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1955- 1968), and the Kansas City Royals (1969-1987). Hall of famers such as Jimmy Foxx, Roberto Clemente, and Babe Ruth are just a few of the stars that played on this field who helped bring exposure to the “City of Palms.”
After Tootie passed away, Dr. Terry proposed installing a fountain in Fort Myers as a tribute to her legacy. Under the direction of its president, Olive Stout, the Civic League choose five points for the location of the fountain. It was installed at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue, McGregor Boulevard, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard during the summer of 1913. In the 1950s, it was moved to the Fort Myers Country Club to make room for the construction of the Caloosahatchee Bridge. This fountain features a palm tree rising from a rocky base that originally served as a horse trough; the inscription on the base features a quote from Tootie, stating “I only hope the little I have done may be an incentive.” Since its restoration, the fountain has provided an added layer of beauty to the front of the Edison restaurant. When you visit Fort Myers, be sure to take a drive along McGregor Boulevard to see this inspiring piece of history!
Veterans Day Salute to Henry Ford
By Curatorial Registrar, Matt Andres
On November 11, America will celebrate Veterans Day. It’s a day we salute our military veterans whose service to our country has helped protect and preserve our many cherished freedoms and constitutional rights over the years. Although many communities around this great nation commemorate Veterans Day with ceremonies, parades, and memorial services; some may not even know the significance of November 11 and why this date serves as a national holiday.
World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919 with the signing of a peace agreement known as the Treaty of Versailles, named after the town where it was signed, between main Central Power Germany and principal western Allied & Associated powers (France, Great Britain, Italy, and United States). The cessation of battlefield hostilities occurred at a much earlier date; however, with the signing of an armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918 at 11 a.m. Military historians sometimes refer to this event simply as “11-11-11,” essentially meaning the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as “Armistice Day” to commemorate the end of the “Great War” in Europe by stating: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”
The original idea was a day of celebration to be observed by parades, public meetings, and suspension of business at 11 a.m. By an act of United States Congress, Armistice Day became a national holiday on May 13, 1938, dedicated to world peace. Early on, November 11 was primarily set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but on June 1, 1954 congress approved legislation to honor veterans of all wars, especially those that had served in World War II and Korea, and substituted the word “Veteran” for “Armistice.” November 11, 1954 was the first celebration of the newly named “Veterans Day.”
Many people are unfamiliar with Henry Ford’s contribution during World War I and his company’s role in helping bring about an armistice that ultimately led to the creation of Veterans Day decades later. Prior to America’s entry into World War I on April 6, 1917, Henry Ford was a devout pacifist and highly critical of those who were advocating for the United States to become involved in the European conflict, especially ones he thought would profit immensely from its involvement.
By 1917, things had changed and the international situation threatened to envelope America as “the war to end all wars” had morphed into a stalemate, with distinctive battle lines that saw entire armies in trenches and thousands more strewn across an increasingly bloody landscape. Unrestricted submarine warfare preyed on merchant shipping thus disrupting America’s precarious supply lines and export industry, including those sending munitions and equipment to various warring nation-states. International diplomatic relations began to rise and fall as the war steadily produced a web of alliances and innumerable promises between nations on the spoils of war (rewards) in exchange for assistance in advancing their particular cause.
Ford’s first real significant contribution to the war effort was not military related, but focused on a major domestic issue created by the war itself. Severe food shortages plagued England and as the situation grew even more desperate by the summer of 1917, farming equipment was badly needed. Help came in the form of the Fordson tractor, which featured cleated tires and a 12-inch double-bottomed plow that Ford sold at cost ($750) thus forgoing profits in an effort to ease England’s humanitarian crisis. Beyond the nearly 7,000 sent abroad, another 27,167 were sold to American farmers as a way to deal with any food shortages that might arise on the home front.
Although morally conflicted about America’s formal entry into the war, Henry Ford pledged to work as hard as ever to help the Allies achieve final victory in Europe. From the summer of 1917 through autumn of 1918, the Ford Motor Company employed thousands of factory workers, many of them women, to build and produce 39,000 military cars, trucks, and ambulances, more than 1 million steel army helmets, nearly 4,000 Liberty engines for America’s nascent Army Air Service, more than 415,000 cylinders, tank armor, submarine detectors, and a prototype bomb (a precursor to Germany’s V-1 rocket of WWII, which was simply referred to as a robot airplane bomb).
In addition to this, Ford built a massive 1,700-feet-long by 350-feet-wide shipbuilding plant with the assistance of the United States government. Inside this building, Ford manufactured 615-ton watercraft known as “Eagle” submarine patrol-boat chasers. These were to be used against Germany’s first iteration of wolfpack submarines. Sixty of these vessels had been completed and commissioned by war’s end, with hundreds more to be built if the conflict continued. Ford’s two-man “flivver tanks” project was abandoned during the latter stages of World War I; but the Ford Motor Company found other ways to contribute by enthusiastically hosting Liberty Loan and Red Cross drives as well as making military training and promotional films publicizing activities conducted by different branches of service. In the end, Ford served as architect and engineer for one of America’s factories of democracy, building a bridge to victory, and ultimately leading to an armistice that would be the foundation for a national holiday called Veterans Day.
The Queen of the Tropics: Exotic Hibiscus
By Karen Maxwell, Horticultural Specialist
The McGregor Boulevard landscape that borders the Edison and Ford Winter Estates is well known for its historic rows of royal palms. In the late 1920s, that landscape was far more colorful as it included hibiscus shrubs which were planted in between the palms as part of Mina Edison’s contribution to her roadway and park beautification efforts. While her husband, Thomas, procured plants primarily for his rubber research and tropical tree collection, Mina Edison called upon her extensive travels and knowledge of trends to surround their Fort Myers home with beauty and style.
In 1901, when the Edisons returned to Fort Myers and Mina began creating her tropical gardens in earnest along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, she received the input of nationally acclaimed landscape architects John Nolan, Hale Walker and Ellen Biddle Shipman. As the gardens evolved, she implemented the suggestions of these designers with the guidance of local growers that Thomas Edison insisted be used, but she imparted her own experience, good sense, and horticulture education to create her vision of a modern tropical oasis.
The Arts and Crafts period in the U.S. (1890s-1920s) imprinted its style on American gardens as well as architecture and pottery just as women were assuming the primary care of home gardens, though in the upper class, this was often done behind hedges or with hired help. Mina Miller Edison, an astute horticulturist in her own right, spent most of her summers at the Miller Home in Chautauqua, NY which was surrounded by epicenters of the Arts and Crafts movement and she sought to include the design in her gardens in Fort Myers.
One garden trend in Arts and Crafts gardens was the inclusion of standards – shrubs that were grown and pruned to remove lower branches, thereby creating a small tree. Heliotrope standards, one of the most popular, were included by Mina in her Fort Myers garden as she loved the vanilla scented, lavender plants. Unfortunately, the harsh wet and humid summers of Southwest Florida doomed the future of her heliotropes, along with many other initial perennials, and Mina sought alternatives, better suited to the local climate.
As early as 1908, according to the meticulous record keeping of Edison’s caretaker Ewald Stulpner, the Fringed Hibiscus, also called Chinese Lantern (Hibiscus schizopetalus*) was purchased for the grounds. This species hibiscus, native to East Africa, is not quite as well-known as its tropical cousin – Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis*) but is a wonderful specimen for South Florida gardens that can provide lots of space for the long arching stems full of small and lighter green leaves, often variegated that produce deeply lobed and fringed flowers which hang down like a chandelier as opposed to the Chinese hibiscus flowers which open face up. Also, unlike the Chinese hibiscus, this hibiscus does not like to be pruned as flowers appear on the previous year’s wood. This is a thirsty hibiscus and will perform well with regilar, deep irrigation, no additional fertilization, and a sparse pruning once every 3-5 years.
At the suggestion of family friend and local grower, James E. Hendry, Jr., who had opened The Everglades Nursery Company also on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers, Mina Edison replaced her failed heliotrope standards with Chinese Hibiscus standards (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis*) which is the popular hibiscus that most people associate with Florida and Hawaii and the most hybridized of the hibiscus family. Credited with developing many hybrids of bougainvillea, James E. Hendry, Jr. created hundreds of these hybrids and he often named them after friends and family – including a variety named “Mrs. Thomas A. Edison” which the company catalog described as “Yellow with a peach center in the morning, fading to clear yellow in the afternoon.” (Note: We do not have this hibiscus presently in our gardens and would love to receive a cutting if one of our readers should have one.)
Mina purchased many hibiscus hybrids from Hendry, and they worked together to add these tropical flowering shrubs to her street beautification and park improvements around Fort Myers. Today, the James E. Hendry Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society based in Fort Myers is nearly 70 years old. This group was so important to Mina, that even though her husband was gravely ill in 1931, she made the time to meet with the Society. The club will be at the Edison Ford fall Garden Festival, November 20-21; for hibiscus fanciers, this is a wonderful chance to obtain rare and unusual plants and get expert advice on the care and growing of Hibiscus sinensis-rosa.
Today, Mina’s hibiscus standards Double Peach and Double Red greet visitors as they enter the grounds on the river side of the property. White Wings, a desirable white cultivar, is in the adjacent Croton Garden.
Hibiscus is part of the enormous Malvaceae or Hibiscus family of which the Edisons grew many species, including the Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis*), Fringed Hibiscus (Hibiscus schizopetalus*), Turks Cap Hibiscus (Malvaviscus arboreus*), and Okra (Hibiscus esculentus*). This family of plants also includes Cacao (source of cocoa beans), Cotton, Dombeya* and Ceiba (the Kapok*).
Florida is also home to several native species. The Scarlet Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), which like all hibiscus species is not salt tolerant. A great hummingbird and butterfly attractant, this is an excellent addition to a garden that can sustain a sunny and constantly damp or bog-like environment, though it is dormant in the winter.
The ideal site for hibiscus is where they can receive up to 12 hours of sunlight a day and will happily tolerate some dappled shade in the late afternoon. All hibiscus discussed in this article are shallow-rooted plants that require good water, but they won’t tolerate soggy conditions, except for the Florida native. Stake newly planted hibiscus plants, especially standards to compensate for the shallow root structure until they are well established. Adding good compost to our sandy soils will provide the nitrogen needed for good growth and to provide the slightly acidic soils that yield optimum performance and a thick layer of
mulch will protect the temperature of the soil on those shallow roots and help retain moisture. This is especially true if one is planting close to a concrete foundation or walkway where lime leaches into the soil and raises the pH above the preferred level of 6.5 or so. As anyone who has grown hibiscus will tell you, they are easy to grow, but they do have some issues – some we can control and others we cannot.
Our southwest soils tend to be low on potassium (K) and too high on phosphorous (P) so providing a regular feeding of a slow-release granular product, such as Sure-Gro (the same product we use and recommend for palm trees) has the best formula of 8-2-12, which includes ample nitrogen for excellent growth. The variegated variety of the Fringed Hibiscus produces an attractive white and light green foliage. For a mass of beautiful foliage, Tricolor Variegated Hibiscus sometimes sold as Red Hot (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cooperi*) prunes well and offers a stunning dark green with shades of hot pink foliage in addition to its singular red flowers.
Keep your standard Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa sinensis*) pinched to maintain a compact plant with good form and shape but remember not to prune or pinch the Fringed hibiscus (Hibiscus schizopetalus*) as discussed earlier. When pruning is in order, try to avoid doing so in mid-winter. Pruning encourages new growth, and should a winter frost occur, the tender new growth will be injured and possibly cause more severe damage to your plant(s).
A possible hybrid of the Hawaiian white Hibiscus (Hibiscus arnottianus) and the Fringed Hibiscus, is the Weeping Hibiscus, or Dainty Pink Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and the white variety known as Dainty White (both also are called La France*) which, is believed to be a normal mutation of the Dainty Pink, both of which grow throughout our gardens, including the Moonlight Garden. As the name suggests, this cultivar sports weeping stems and will grow to nearly 10 feet. Covered with 3” blooms, growers will enjoy the multitude of butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators that cannot resist it. Hybridized or imported in the late 1950s, the Dainty Pink is credited to Norman Reasoner and L.K. Thompson. Reasoner owned and operated Reasoner’s Tropical Nursery outside of Bradenton and consulted Mina and Thomas Edison in the late 1920s.
All hibiscus are prone to a variety of insects including aphids, scale, mealybugs, etc. Should you discover these pests, apply a wash of horticultural soap or oil two times a week until they are extinguished. Severe cases of pests may require a drench, but keep in mind that products with imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid will harm pollinators. When in doubt, please don’t hesitate to contact a staff member of the Edison Ford Horticulture Department.
Despite providing the best care to hibiscus plants, there are times that yellowing or leaf drop is unavoidable. Hibiscus are known for not appreciating rapid changes in their environment, including temperature and humidity, and this is often the case when acclimatized or potted plants are suddenly moved inside to protect them from a frost, or extended periods of drought. Keep in mind that none of the hibiscus are salt tolerant and whenever possible, avoid using water that goes through a water softener system which employs salt. If all other conditions are met, hibiscus is actually a pretty rugged tropical plant, and it will come back when the temperature and humidity are more to their liking. Today, the number 1 selling hibiscus is Fiesta (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and is often available in our Garden Shoppe along with most of the varieties discussed.
In this article, we hope to impart the importance of the hibiscus to our Fort Myers history; it is impossible to cover all of the varieties, types and information about growing this beautiful plant here, but feel free to explore further the American Hibiscus Society and our local, James E. Hendry Chapter.
*Indicates plants in the Edison and Ford Winter Estates gardens.
