Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) thrives in hot regions and grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. Cold temperatures, disease and drought will easily kill this plant. There are certain signs to search for a hibiscus to inform if it is truly dead or when the plant will return when the weather gets better. These signs of plant passing also apply to other woody shrubs and small trees.
Bark
The second layer of bark will tell you in case the division is dead. By scratching just the upper layer of bark off with your fingernail, you expose the second layer. If this second layer is brown and dry instead of moist and green, the division is dead. If you scratched the bark at the base of this hibiscus and see brown underneath, the whole plant is likely dead.
Leaves
The leaves of this hibiscus may indicate whether the plant is truly dead. Consider the color and texture of the leaves. If they’re dry and crispy and still clinging to the branches, the hibiscus will likely be dead. It’s natural for dead leaves to be shed from a plant, but plants which hang onto lifeless leaves have lost the capability to jettison this dead issue. Generally, this occurs because the plant is dead, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Ask Mr. Smarty Plants.
Growth
Hibiscus will resprout in the spring time when the temperatures get hotter. Start looking for new growth on the plant, then both branches and leaves. If the whole plant seems brown and does not begin to regrow at precisely the same time other hibiscuses you own in your yard do, it is likely that the plant is dead.
Bud Drop
Some people see a falling of flower buds as a indication their hibiscus is perishing. This is not an indication of a lifeless hibiscus, but it is a indication of anxiety into the plant. If your plant does not get enough light or in case the watering or temperatures are inconsistent, the plant may lose its flowers as a self-protection response. Return to a normal watering schedule and await temperatures to become more steady and the plant should recover.