The Main Plant entry for Roses of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

This database entry exists to show plant data and photos that apply generically to all Roses of Sharon.

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Shrub
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Leaves:	Deciduous
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies Hummingbirds
Propagation: Seeds:	Sow in situ
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem Cuttings: Tip Cuttings: Cane
Pollinators:	Various insects
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger

Common names

Rose of Sharon
Althea
Hibiscus

Matching plants under this entry

Hibiscus syriacus
Hibiscus syriacus var. brevibracteatus
Hibiscus syriacus var. longibracteatus
Hibiscus sinosyriacus

Photo Gallery

Location: Botanical garden of Crete
Date: 2022-06-01

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2013-06-05

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Location: My Gardens
Date: July 8, 2010
Always Loaded With Blossoms

Uploaded by TBGDN

Location: My Gardens
Date: July 8, 2010
Closer Look At Bloom Habit

Uploaded by TBGDN

Location: My Gardens
Date: July 17, 2008
Close Up View

Uploaded by TBGDN

Location: My garden, Pequea, PA 17565
Date: August 30, 2015
Hibiscus syriacus with profuse five-inch wide pink flowers

Uploaded by csandt

Location: My Gardens
Date: July 8, 2010
Close Up View

Uploaded by TBGDN

Location: My Garden in PA
Seedling from Blue Bird

Uploaded by kousa

Location: Western Kentucky
Date: September 2011
Fall blooms

Uploaded by Sharon

Location: My garden, Pequea, PA 17565
Date: August 30, 2015
Hibiscus syriacus violet seedling #1

Uploaded by csandt

Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2014-06-05
Have four ROS in tree form.

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Location: Utah, neighbor's tree
Date: 2015-07-13
not really the entire plant, just the top of a 20' tree

Uploaded by dirtdorphins

Uploaded by keithp2012

Hybrid, white flower with red stripes crossed with pink flower, c

Uploaded by keithp2012

Location: My Gardens
Date: August 30, 2015
Bloom Of A Small Seedling

Uploaded by TBGDN

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2010-07-09
Passed along from my great-grandmother's garden.

Uploaded by chelle

Date: 2016-09-25
variegated foliage ( plant I grew)

Uploaded by keithp2012

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Western Kentucky
Date: September 2011
Pink and white blooms occur on the same bush.

Uploaded by Sharon

Uploaded by keithp2012

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2023-08-07

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Uploaded by DancingGenes

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2006-08-10

Uploaded by Joy

Location: My garden, KY
Date: 2021-07-01

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Location: Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Date: 2023-07-21
Pink Rose of Sharon

Uploaded by csandt

Location: z6a MA, my garden
Date: 2015-07-28
Time to cut this back again.

Uploaded by eclayne

Location: Winter Springs, FL zone 9b
Date: 2017-03-11

Uploaded by sunkissed

Uploaded by Gardenho

Location: Lucketts, Loudoun County, Virginia
Date: 2015-07-07

Uploaded by greenthumb99

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-08-30

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2014-07-24

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: July 16, 2022
Rose of Sharon #274; RAB page 704, 122-8-1. AG p. 100, 20-11-4. L

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Ingleside. Illinois
Date: 2022-09-05
First bloom from seed. 5 blooms at once.

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Location: Kyle
Date: 2019-07-02
Can take the cold and the heat

Uploaded by christinereid54

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2010-07-12
Another of great-grandmother's fertile lovelies.

Uploaded by chelle

Uploaded by keithp2012

Date: 2016-09-25
variegated foliage, double petaled ( plant I grew)

Uploaded by keithp2012

Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: 2018 July 13
Grown from seed; parent plant was a double lavender.

Uploaded by greene

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-09-23

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Date: 2015-09-04
Lovely center on this one!

Uploaded by keithp2012

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by christinereid54

Uploaded by christinereid54

Location: 382 River Road, Pequea, PA 17565
Date: August 24, 2015
Hibiscus syriacus with five-inch pink flowers

Uploaded by csandt

Location: my front yard
Date: 2014-08-29

Uploaded by doglover

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania, USA
Date: 2018-08-21
Seedling of Lucy

Uploaded by csandt

Location: z5 MA, my garden
Date: 2011-07-26
Cut back to 6' in '09 it's now 10'+ again. PROLIFIC self seeder.

Uploaded by eclayne

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by ediblelandscapingsc

Location: Beautiful Tennessee, my garden
Date: 2017-12-11

Uploaded by chickhill

Uploaded by linjarvis

Location: My garden
Date: 2023-08-24
ROS

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: Terrell garden
Date: 2017-10-13

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: August 16, 2015

Uploaded by Horntoad

Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2019-09-14
A 3-4 year old seedling blooming for the first time.

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by petruske

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by CBJoyce

Date: 2015-09-04
Beautiful peacock looking center on this one!

Uploaded by keithp2012

Uploaded by Fleur569

Uploaded by molanic

Location: In my zone 8 garden
Date: 2013-07-15

Uploaded by sarahbugw

Uploaded by Hazelcrestmikeb

Uploaded by Hazelcrestmikeb

Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania, USA
Date: 2018-08-10

Uploaded by csandt

Location: Tarragona (Spain)
Date: 2023-09-10

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: my front yard
Date: 2013-07-17

Uploaded by doglover

Uploaded by randijowilcoxen

Uploaded by keithp2012

Location: Massachusetts
Date: 2017-08-01

Uploaded by gbosco

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by hementia

Uploaded by hementia

Location: all photos from my garden
Date: 2014-07-31

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Location: Hood, Alabama
Date: 2022-08-03

Uploaded by HoodLily

Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2013-07-01
Neighbor kids saw me frequently gardening and bought this shrub f

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2014-04-24
Three of my tree form ROS, looking back from the neighbor's drive

Uploaded by lovemyhouse

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2010-07-12

Uploaded by chelle

Uploaded by keithp2012

Uploaded by Horntoad

Location: Kyle
Date: 2018-07-11
Lovely shrub, easy to grow

Uploaded by christinereid54

Uploaded by christinereid54

Location: Kyle
Date: 2018-07-11
Both cold hardy and heat hardy

Uploaded by christinereid54

Date: 2003-07-10
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by pretty_paws_29

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by okus

Uploaded by m33jones2

Uploaded by petruske

Location: Orlando Florida
Date: 2011-05-06
Althea Diana

Uploaded by GoneTropical

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by SongofJoy

By Wildfeuer (Own work (own photo)) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/cop

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by ediblelandscapingsc

Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: March 7, 2016

Uploaded by Horntoad

Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania 17565
Date: 2017-09-14

Uploaded by csandt

Freaky seedlings, white (albino), yellow, yellow, and variegated.

Uploaded by keithp2012

Uploaded by keithp2012

Uploaded by Hazelcrestmikeb

Seedling (in pot) with blue green coetyldon

Uploaded by keithp2012

Location: My Property Sunset Zone 23 Sub-Tropical Southern California
Date: 2011-07-12

Uploaded by wcgypsy

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by DancingGenes

Location: Lake Bluff, Il
Date: 2012-06-02

Uploaded by Fran

Uploaded by Fran

Uploaded by DancingGenes

Uploaded by DancingGenes

Location: Jefferson County, Texas
Date: September 6, 2015

Uploaded by Horntoad

Location: Hood, Alabama
Date: 2022-07-28

Uploaded by HoodLily

Uploaded by HoodLily

Location: Hood, Alabama
Date: 2022-08-14

Uploaded by HoodLily

Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada - near Lake Ontario, zone 6a
Date: 2009-08-03

Uploaded by tinpins

Uploaded by m33jones2

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by Horntoad

Uploaded by KSKimbrell26

Location: Tennessee
Date: 2004-10-01
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-09-17
Less than a foot tall

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Delray beach, fl
Date: 2016-07-25

Uploaded by JenA31

Watercolours, German, 2nd half of 18th century; 36 x 23.3 cm

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Date: 2018-04-18
Always thought of these as a rose of Sharron. Not sure which one.

Uploaded by Agoo

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-10-29

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by Jackileighw

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-09-25

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: North Central TX Zone 8a
Date: 2017-11-30

Uploaded by tx_flower_child

Uploaded by HoodLily

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: Tennessee
Date: 2003-07-10
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Date: 2004-10-01
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by Leafa

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Aug 1, 2014 9:31 PM concerning plant:

Hibiscus syriacus is a larval host plant for the Grey Hairstreak Butterfly.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on May 23, 2013 12:15 AM concerning plant:

"H. syriacus is a hardy deciduous shrub. It is upright and vase-shaped, reaching 7–13 feet in height, bearing large trumpet-shaped dark pink flowers with prominent yellow-tipped white stamens. Individual flowers are short-lived, lasting only a day. However, numerous buds are produced on the shrub's new growth, which provides prolific flowering over a long summer blooming period. Shoots make interesting indoor vase cuttings, as they stay green for a long time. In the vase some new flowers may open from the more mature buds. The species has naturalized very well in many suburban areas, and might even be termed slightly invasive, so frequently does it seed around. The flower language is delicate beauty.

Though it has no autumn color and can be stiff and ungainly if badly pruned, H. syriacus remains a popular ornamental shrub today, with many cultivars.

Cultivars of H. syriacus are widely planted in areas with hot summers for their very attractive white, pink, red, lavender, or purple large and edible flowers.

Hibiscus syriacus is fairly easily propagated from either seeds, with variable results, or by layering or cuttings, cloning the original."

Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H...

Reply to this comment
Posted by Sharon (Calvert City, KY - Zone 7a) on Sep 30, 2011 10:17 PM concerning plant:

This plant is an old one and was started from seed from a plant that grew in the mountains of southeast Kentucky. Here in western Kentucky, zone 6b/7a, I find it to be quite the spreader. It is not native to the US, so when combined with its invasive tendencies, it might not be very popular. But in its defense, it grows and blooms in areas and at times when nothing else will grow or bloom. We have hot dry summers and quite often by September our blooms have ended. This Rose of Sharon is just getting started by then. It will continue to bloom until November.

It will also grow with little to no care in soil that is rocky and sparse. Bumble bees love it.

Reply to this comment
Posted by carlagoodloe (Clovis, CA - Zone 9b) on Oct 1, 2022 11:05 AM concerning plant:

Downside is aphids love it in late summer so you end up with ants and aphids both. Bees love it too.

Reply to this comment
Posted by robertduval14 (Milford, New Hampshire - Zone 5b) on Sep 17, 2016 11:36 PM concerning plant:

National flower of South Korea.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
flaflwrgrl	On October 11, 2014	Obtained plant From Debra.
piksihk	On August 30, 2023	Bloomed Blooming again
piksihk	On October 7, 2022	Bloomed It's been blooming for several months
piksihk	On June 4, 2021	Bloomed
piksihk	On June 16, 2019	Bloomed
piksihk	On August 27, 2018	Bloomed
piksihk	On July 6, 2017	Transplanted HW back fence right of camellia
piksihk	On March 20, 2017	Obtained plant From mamie
piksihk	On February 7, 2017	Maintenance performed pruned; rooting cutting
piksihk	On January 9, 2016	Miscellaneous Event several buds
piksihk	On September 12, 2015	Obtained plant Lynnehtx
antsinmypants	On September 5, 2022	Bloomed Pink one bloomed (5 blooms) 9-5-2022.
antsinmypants	On May 2, 2021	Plant emerged One purple one
antsinmypants	On April 27, 2021	Plant emerged One pink one - 4-27-21
antsinmypants	On February 25, 2021	Seeds sown WS 4 each of Pink, Purple, & White in jug 28.
CraftyFox	On March 21, 2021	Miscellaneous Event Water Presoak x 12
WebTucker	On July 15, 2022	Bloomed

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Althea (Hibiscus syriacus) by virginiarose	Jan 11, 2012 4:38 PM	8
What a gorgeous flower! by purpleinopp	Jul 28, 2015 1:05 PM	2
Looks like rose of Sharon, Hibiscus Syriacus by purpleinopp	Mar 18, 2016 1:02 PM	2
Are you certain about the identity? by plantladylin	Sep 19, 2018 8:48 AM	0
Are you certain about the identity? by plantladylin	Sep 19, 2018 6:20 PM	3
Plant ID by DaylilySLP	Jun 22, 2019 12:35 AM	1
What is the shrub in front of the RoS? by DLM1166	Oct 21, 2020 7:41 AM	1

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