Gossypium
( goss - EE - pee - um )
At-A-Glance InformationThese evergreen shrubs need full sun and include the species used to make cotton fabric, though the plant described below is more suited for gardens and are better looking. These shrubs have a mounding, spreading habit and an almost tropical look. They are most adapted to hot, dry areas and bloom from spring through fall. Flowers will attract butterflies and moths to your garden.
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Gossypium Species and Varietals
The genus Gossypium includes 50 species of flowering plants and is a member of the Mallow family (Malvaceae). This genus is well-known for its ability to produce cotton crop. Growing zones for Gossypium vary by species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Gossypium harknesii (San Marcos Hibiscus) Grows best in zones 12-24, native to Baja California and Mexico. Gets to 3-5 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. Stems are red and thick, with lobed green leaves. Lemon-yellow flowers appear in spring, followed by small fruits that split open to reveal seeds and dense white fibers. This shrub thrives in poor soil with moderate irrigation. A very salt-tolerant shrub. Can take heat but leaves can turn yellow in intense, reflected heat. |
Caring for and pruning Gossypium shrubs
Plant Gossypium shrubs in full sun; growth will be markedly stunted if grown in shade. These plants do not like cool air or windy conditions, They thrive in poor soils as long as they are well-draining, and do not need to be fertilized. Water regularly while the plant is establishing itself, then reduce water to a deep watering every 2-4 weeks in the warmer months of the year. Otherwise, these plants are drought-tolerant and can get by on rainwater alone. Prune minimally to keep in bounds and to remove any frost-damaged foliage.
Propagation
Gossypium can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Gossypium by Cutting
Propagating Gossypium by Seed
Propagating Gossypium by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Gossypium by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on these shrubs are woody and have four chambers, that contain seeds that have filaments resembling small cotton balls. Remove them from the plant, and set them aside. Once you've collected all of your seeds, remove the fluffy, cotton-like covering.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not too moist, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Gossypium shrubs
- Spider Mites
- Thrips
- Cotton Aphid
- Boll Weevil
- Green Mirid
- Leaf Spot
- Root Rot
- Boll Rot
Gallery
These shrubs require very well-draining soil and do not like to have moist toes. Plant Gossypium with other low water-use shrubs.
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Gossypium flowers resemble those on Hibiscus shrubs.
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These shrubs have a mounding, sprawling habit and are wonderful for mixed bed plantings.
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Videos
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 342, Gossypium
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