# Hibiscus

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus/98477>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 15, 2002, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus/98477 "2002-03-15T15:50:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus/98477/1 "2002-03-15T15:50:47Z")

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How can you tell if a potted hibiscus grown as a houseplant is hardy or tropical?

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**Author:** ![Sophie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@Sophie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophie)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus/98477/2 "2002-03-15T20:36:52Z")

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Stick it in the ground, and if it makes it through to next year, it’s hardy.

Seriously, I have no idea, other than that. Do you remember how much you paid for it? The hardy ones are always more expensive (around here, about $30-40 for two-three year olds).

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**Author:** ![spathiphyllum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@spathiphyllum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spathiphyllum)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus/98477/3 "2002-03-16T03:25:44Z")

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Simply due to the fact you’ve been able to treat it as a houseplant, I’d expect it to be a tropical variety. However, for tips on identifying it, check out this webpage:  
[http://www.trop-hibiscus.com/gindr.html](http://www.trop-hibiscus.com/gindr.html)

Something else that that page doesn’t mention: In my experience, a hibiscus with a woody “trunk” is usually the tropical kind.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hibiscus/98477/4 "2002-03-16T04:01:13Z")

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Thanks, looks like we are tropical.

BTW, are those huge leaved namesakes of your just older or healthier than the usual houseplant guys, or do you fellows come in varities?