Rose Of Sharon:  What's in a Name, Anyway

By Sharon
August 30, 2015

A rose is a rose unless it's a Rose of Sharon, and then it's a hibiscus. Some say it's the name of a crocus and others swear it's the name of a tulip and then there's some confusion with the lily of the valley. Poor plant, most likely it lives in a state of constant identity crisis, never knowing on which side of the garden it should grow.

[View the item]

Image
Aug 29, 2015 8:08 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Dirt
(Zone 5b)
Region: Utah Bee Lover Garden Photography Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Photo Contest Winner: 2016
Photo Contest Winner 2018 Photo Contest Winner 2019 Photo Contest Winner 2020 Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2022 Photo Contest Winner 2023
My neighbor has a very old, small tree:
Thumb of 2015-08-30/dirtdorphins/e0e4cc
It survives wicked winters, brutal summer droughts, and all manner of neglect in some of the worst rocky clay and manages to bloom all summer!
I can see in the picture it has been pruned at least once.

Image
Aug 29, 2015 8:32 PM CST
Name: Sharon
Calvert City, KY (Zone 7a)
Charter ATP Member Houseplants Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Native Plants and Wildflowers Dog Lover Ferns Daylilies Irises Cat Lover
Reminds me a little of mine this year. Smiling It got a little bit out of control.

Thumb of 2015-08-30/Sharon/00a025

Works better if you enlarge the image; I am not the great photographer you are and besides, it was nearing dark.
The best thing about it -- it most often has different shades of colors blooming all over, no matter what I don't do for it.
Visit my cubit Blue Gardens
Check out my Blog
Read my Articles and Ideas
Image
Aug 29, 2015 8:41 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Dirt
(Zone 5b)
Region: Utah Bee Lover Garden Photography Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Photo Contest Winner: 2016
Photo Contest Winner 2018 Photo Contest Winner 2019 Photo Contest Winner 2020 Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2022 Photo Contest Winner 2023
I like the different shades!
and I think it works well as a small tree Smiling clearly my neighbor's tree abandoned shrubhood many years ago
Image
Aug 30, 2015 2:18 AM CST
Name: Vicki
North Carolina
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Region: United States of America
Purslane Garden Art Region: North Carolina Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Great article Sharon and thank you so much! Rose of Sharon is such a favorite for me and I love that it blooms when not much else is. I have almost every color and one double which is so pretty.

They grow all over the property and get quite tall but the ones in the perennial garden I keep trimmed short like a shrub and they bloom fine too.
NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION ~ Garden Art ~ Purslane & Portulaca ~
Image
Aug 30, 2015 6:25 AM CST
Name: Vickie
southern Indiana (Zone 6b)
Bee Lover Garden Photography Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: United States of America
Region: Indiana Garden Art Annuals Clematis Cottage Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 2
I enjoyed reading the history about the Rose of Sharon. One point you made is that it grows so easily that some consider it invasive. I am one of those people! I have a love-hate relationship with it.

Right now I only have two white Rose of Sharon shrubs, but your article has made me want to get more despite the profusion of seedlings. I think the Rose of Sharon is one of the very few plants blooming on my property in August, so color is kind of blah right now.
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
Image
Aug 30, 2015 11:23 AM CST
Name: Mary
The dry side of Oregon
Be yourself, you can be no one else
Charter ATP Member Farmer Region: Oregon Enjoys or suffers cold winters
I need one of these plants. My climate will give it the ultimate test!
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.
More ramblings at http://thegatheringplacehome.m...
Image
Aug 30, 2015 11:35 AM CST
Name: Sharon
Calvert City, KY (Zone 7a)
Charter ATP Member Houseplants Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
Native Plants and Wildflowers Dog Lover Ferns Daylilies Irises Cat Lover
My big ROS is really too close to my house, it's the first one I planted here. One summer I had so much trouble with my phone line, so I called the phone company and they sent a worker to check the outside line where it enters my home. The rest of it is underground with the rest of the utilities so they checked the visible connection first. And there it was, happy as could be, a ROS seedling was pulling the line away from the connector box, just getting thicker every day. It was behind the tree, the box was, so I didn't notice it. It immediately got a good pruning on its backside.

Mary, I'll bet it would grow for you. In fact on your massive stretch of land, it probably will grow and spread and grow and spread and before you know it you'll have a windbreak!! We might have to try that real soon.
Visit my cubit Blue Gardens
Check out my Blog
Read my Articles and Ideas
You must first create a username and login before you can reply to this thread.
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )