Hibiscus / Rose of Sharon

Hibiscus syriacus, commonly called rose of Sharon, is a member of the Hibiscus genus. Rose of Sharon is one of the most widespread garden shrubs in the world due to its showy flowers, lush foliage, and adaptability. A large deciduous shrub, rose of Sharon blooms abundantly and continuously from early summer well into fall. Borne on slender branches, the showy tropical-looking flowers typically have 5 petals and are white, pink, blue, purple, lavender, or red; but some cultivars have double-petaled and/or bicolor blooms. The flamboyant flowers attract butterflies, honeybees, and hummingbirds to the garden.

Rose of Sharon grows vigorously, with most reaching a mature size between 8 and 12 feet tall with a spread of 6 to 10 feet; however, there are dwarf species that are much smaller. The multistemmed shrub has an erect, vase-shaped habit, but it can be trained as a small tree or espalier. Rose of Sharon is an excellent specimen or foundation plant but also works well massed or grouped as a back-of-the-bed or -border plant. And a rose of Sharon hedge or screen is dense,  lush, and truly spectacular.

Easy to grow, rose of Sharon prefers a sunny to partly shady location, but best flowering is in full sun. It loves hot summers, tolerating both heat and humidity well. Just be sure to give it lots of space, protect it from strong winds, and prune in late winter to produce a bushier, more floriferous shrub.