Horticulture Hibiscus and Hybridizing

During Mother’s Day weekend, bright red, orange, pink and purple colors were seen at Long Beach City College’s horticulture class, experiencing hibiscus flowers in its transformational forms after class on May 9 during the “Hibiscus Cutting Giveaway” workshop hosted by the Southern California Hibiscus Society at Trades, Technology and Community Learning campus inside the Horticulture Garden.

So many vibrant colors and varieties of hibiscus kept the attention of students, members and community during the workshop, allowing a chance to engage with experts in the field, like Alex Franco, president of the SCHS who shares the special connection between him and LBCC professor Jorge Ochoa.

“I have been coming here with Jorge (Ochoa) even before the SCHS as a friend because we both grow and hybridize plants and collect different plants from different parts of the world,” Franco said.

The workshop was an introduction to the hibiscus flower and the many varieties that have been created by members offering a presentation on different ways of rooting the hibiscus from cuttings to those interested in growing and hybridizing hibiscus.

^{Alex Franco, president of Southern California Hibiscus Society, displays some of the unique varieties of hibiscus at the giveaway and propagation workshop on May 9 in the Horticulture Garden at TTC. Each one has been cultivated by a key member and has its own unique design and genealogy with vibrant colors attracting many to observe and learn. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

“Today, we want to encourage people to get into the hobby of growing hibiscus,” said Alicja Lombard, board member for SCHS.

Members from San Diego, Orange County, South Bay and Hollywood gathered their flowers and stem cuttings for the giveaway event and workshop.

“We document exactly which is the seed, the pod parent that carries the seeds, and which is the pollen and this way we know who the parents are,” Lombard said.

Some species come from all around the world and they’re very delicate with each one having an identification number and catalog number. 

Darren Eminian, vice president of SCHS, presented the soil and sponge media method of rooting the stem cuttings at the workshop and shared how students can benefit from the experts in the society.

“We have so many years of growing experience and expertise and growing hibiscus on your own is a big learning curve.  Talking to experts and going to events like this, you can skip the many years of coming down that learning curve and get going real quick and within a year or two get some fantastic results,” Eminian said.

^{Darren Eminian, vice president of the Southern California Hibiscus Society, teaches how to cut stems during the soil and sponge media lesson during the propagation workshop on May 9 at TTC in the Horticulture Garden. Hundreds of unique cuttings were donated by expert key members to help a new member get started on a successful growing journey. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

Flor de Jamaica, is the Spanish term for the hibiscus sabdariffa species, also known as roselle, is the source of a well known burgundy colored fresca drink “Jamaica”, but there are hundreds of varieties that were available at the event. 

Key members of the organization have large collections and are able to donate cuttings to events like this one, partnering with a community college campus that has a horticulture program like LBCC.

“They (SCHS) had a lot of interesting takes on things I had never known about hibiscus and that they were so adaptable to so many climates and the key factors to humidity,” said Brianna Amaro, a horticulture major in the program.

Students in the horticulture program must take the Horticulture 15A that covers the basic aspects and techniques of the horticulture industry for spring: nomenclature, plant physiology, soils, fertilizers, propagation, plant cultivation and pest identification and control. 

“I learned that you can’t use certain types of fertilizer because the phosphorus actually reduces the bloom, so there’s specific fertilizers to use for hibiscus,” said Shelly Archuleta, a student in the horticulture program class that meets Saturday from 9 a.m. – noon this spring semester.

^{Long Beach City College Horticulture students learn about different propagation methods for hibiscus plants and their unique flowers at a workshop hosted by the Southern California Hibiscus Society on May 9 at TTC in the Horticulture Garden. Hundreds of free cuttings of the specialized flower with roots from all around the world were available at the event. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

Students walked away with a positive experience with rooting methods learning something new about horticulture and hibiscus propagation and expressing how more opportunities like this be offered at LBCC.

“I would like for all the classes to be notified about events like this.  I know that there are a lot of students who would definitely be interested because they grow things on their own.  We have a lot of gardeners and home farmers that take these classes to better their home gardens, so this would be beneficial,” Archuleta said.

You can contact the SCHS on their website and Facebook page for more information on workshops and events.