When cotton rose finishes a display, decide whether the plant needs spent flowers removed, a change in outline or a more substantial reduction. Those jobs should not automatically become one hard cut.
Identify the shrub and use pruning guidance appropriate to its growth and local season. A plant in active growth is not in the same situation as one approaching a cold resting period.
Keep the framework visible
Look for healthy main branches, damaged material and growth crossing through the centre. Work deliberately and step back to check the shape rather than cutting each branch to the same height.
If the shrub is in a pot, review stability and available space. Pruning can manage its outline, but it does not correct a root environment that remains wet or a position with unsuitable light.
Record what was removed and when. The next flush of growth will be easier to interpret with that history. Avoid adding several fertilisers as an automatic follow-up to every cut. Feeding should match the plant's needs and conditions, not simply the fact that pruning has taken place.
NC Extension describes Hibiscus mutabilis as flowering on new growth and places its pruning advice after the autumn display in its regional context. Translate that advice to your climate and growth stage instead of treating a calendar month as universal.
Related reading: Cotton Rose Care: Watering, Light, Feeding and Pruning.