What is Eating My Hibiscus Flowers – How Can I Safeguard Them?

You can find hibiscus plants in many gardens and lawns around the country.

Their beauty is well known, but they are also known for attracting a wide range of creatures who love to take a bite out of them.

Because they are so attractive, the presence of hibiscus plants in your garden may be detrimental to all the plants in the area.

That’s because their bright green foliage and vibrant flowers are quite attractive to all creatures that feast on plants.

This is why you must be careful about planting hibiscus in your garden.

Worse, the type of creatures they do draw in will tend to be large, ranging from turtles to deer.

And when food sources are scarce for these creatures, they can quickly eat up your garden.

Unfortunately, there is no single method for keeping predators away from your hibiscus plants.

Plus, you may have to try several times before finding the right combination of deterrents that work. But before you begin, what type of creatures are most likely to take a bite from your hibiscus plants?

1- Deer

Deer may be the most dangerous since they have been known to eat an entire hibiscus plant at one time.

If you live in an area where the deer roam, you will need to set up some chicken wire or a large, tall fence to keep the deer away from the plants.

You can also try some repellents if setting up a tall fence or chicken wire is not practical for your garden.

2- Groundhogs

Sometimes called woodchucks, these creatures are rather difficult to defend against since they can crawl under fences.

A hungry groundhog has no problem consuming your hibiscus plant, although they prefer vegetables if they are nearby.

Groundhogs will normally feed in the morning or late afternoon, and they can weigh up to 15 pounds.

Since fences are not going to stop them, you will need to put a net around the plants or use chemical repellent to keep them away.

Just remember to reapply the repellent every month or so and after a rain.

3- Insects

The types of insects most likely to feed on hibiscus plants include aphids, mites, nematodes, thrips, and scales.

You can see the damage they cause from the tiny holes that they leave behind in the leaves and flowers of the plant.

4- Turtles

Turtles may be slow, but they are determined little creatures when hungry.

They have no issue taking big bites out of your hibiscus plants.

Turtles will tend to eat the foliage, while iguanas will go after the flowers.

To keep the turtles out, you can build a low fence that prevents them from reaching the hibiscus.

For iguanas that can easily climb such a low fence, you will need a sheet metal barrier which is not easy to install.

Wrap the sheet metal around the base of the plant, and this will keep the iguanas and turtles away.

If sheet metal is not practical, then there are chemical repellents available.

5- Your Pets

Another possible threat is your very own pets. While dogs tend to be carnivorous, even they will take a bite out of a hibiscus plant.

To keep this from happening, you can apply some pepper spray which will deter the dog from getting near the plant.

This is a simple, natural solution that will need to be applied every so often or after rain to stay in effect.