Cooke's Kokia Plant Care

Cooke's Kokia (Kokia cookei) belongs to the Malvaceae family within the Kokia genus.

Cooke's Kokia displays an upright, branching shrub growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Cooke's Kokia produces showy red or pink hibiscus-like flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Cooke's Kokia every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Cooke's Kokia thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Kokia cookei tolerates temperatures of 60–85°F. Cooke's Kokia prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Cooke's Kokia to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Cooke's Kokia every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Cooke's Kokia is suited to USDA Zone 13a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Cooke's Kokia can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Cooke's Kokia while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Cooke's Kokia is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 13). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Cooke's Kokia can be propagated through seeds, softwood cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to hawaiian tree cotton plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Cooke's Kokia is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Cooke's Kokia grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13a. It survives winters down to planting zone 13a. In cooler regions, grow Cooke's Kokia as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.