Everywhere you look in the spring, bushes are in full flower. But at the height of summer, few flowering plants catch the attention of onlookers. A stunning exception to this rule is the Rose of Sharon bush, also known as Hardy Hibiscus or Shrub Althea. This summer-flowering shrub will adorn your landscape with vibrant, dramatic blossoms when you want them the most.
You may enhance your midsummer landscape by learning how to cultivate and care for a Rose of Sharon hibiscus.
Grow a Rose of Sharon: A Guide
The rose of Sharon, scientifically known as Hibiscus syriacus, requires very little maintenance. It is mainly trimmed for growth and shape. When the rose of Sharon is planted, it could flourish despite being neglected. This spectacular shrub will likely require considerable maintenance to add value to your landscape display.
Remember that older kinds of roses of Sharon may produce many seeds when planting them in the landscape. Get ready to eradicate any more plants that develop in undesirable spots. These can be moved to a more enticing area or distributed among pals.
Althea shrubs grow best on rich, well-draining soil that is somewhat acidic and located in full sun to the central sun. The rose of Sharon shrub loves moist and well-draining soil. At the same time, it can handle most soil types, excluding those particularly wet or dry. The rose of Sharon bush could benefit from a mulch or organic compost top dressing.
Rose of Sharon Tree Facts
Uses and Features
The upright-growing rose of Sharon shrub may grow to a height of 10 to 12 feet and a spread of 6 feet. The coarse, three-lobed, medium-green leaves grow up to 3 inches long. The spectacular blooms are enormous, usually 3 to 6 inches in diameter, and come in various hues, including white, red, violet, and blue. A conspicuous white stamen distinguishes the crimson centres of the flowers.
Rose of Sharon serves various functions in the landscape, including borders, hedges, screens, and solitary specimen plants. It also draws hummingbirds and butterflies. In the fall, seed capsules develop and persist into the winter.
Maintenance and Planting
Rose of Sharon can withstand wind and tolerate a wide range of soils. It prefers hot summer climates, gardens in full sun or light shade, and is adaptable to transplanting. Plant rose of Sharon on well-drained sandy, loam, or clay soil in the spring or fall.
Add compost, mulch, and water every spring when the weekly rainfall is less than one inch. Since blossoms grow there, prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Cut back roughly a third of the timber, such as weakened or old branches, to the ground each year. Old growth is removed to promote the development of bigger blooms.
Diseases and Pests
Shrubs from the Rose of Sharon are robust, hardy plants with little insect or disease issues. Aphids, spider mites, Japanese beetles, and whiteflies are among the pests, while grey mould, powdery mildew, leaf spots, cankers, and blights are among the illnesses. Both can combat using a variety of commercial sprays and specks of dust that are readily accessible in chemical compounds or organic solutions.
Utilize biological and environmental controls to thwart pests and illnesses. Choose plants resistant to pests and diseases, allow for proper air circulation around plants, and prevent overhead watering. Applying all sprays and specks of dust should be done following the manufacturer’s instructions. Moreover, deadhead wasted blooms and removes dead or contaminated plant components, among other things.
Maintaining a Rose of Sharon Bush
The rose of Sharon makes up for the lack of dinner plate-sized flowers by being hardy, having easy-care growing needs, and producing exquisite hollyhock-like flowers with delicate, ruffled petals.
Water and Light
Rose of Sharon grows well in direct sunlight but may also tolerate some shade. The plant enjoys some afternoon shade if you live in a hot environment. Although it can withstand moderate drought, frequent watering produces the most awesome blossoms. Water your plant thoroughly once a week or more frequently during the growing season if a boiling period occurs.
Fertilizer
Your rose of Sharon will benefit from frequent fertilizer if it grows in moderately rich soil with loads of organic matter. Overfeeding can cause the shrub to develop too quickly, producing more branches and leaves than blooms. Apply a slow-release, granular fertilizer in the late winter or early spring or a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
Pruning
The rose of Sharon doesn’t require much pruning unless you wish to regulate its size, alter its form, or cut off broken branches because it grows slowly and blooms on new stems. After the plant reaches a height of approximately 4 feet, prune the lower branches in late winter or early spring if you wish to develop the shrub into a tree.
At any time, prune any branches that are growing improperly and that alter the shrub’s general form. Remove two or three of the oldest, most extensive branches from your rose of Sharon, cutting them off just above the ground. This will help it get smaller.
How to propagate the rose of Sharon?
The rose of Sharon may be successfully propagate by using stem cuttings. Pick healthy, green stems for your cuttings. These are fresh-emerging branches that don’t yet have a woody bark. Early to mid-summer is the ideal time to take cuttings.
There should be many leaves and buds on the stalk. The lowest portion of the cutting should be leaf-free. Place the cutting in the ground so the bottom third to half is in the soil. Although not strictly essential, dipping the cutting in the rooting hormone helps to accelerate root formation. Each clipping should be inserted into a container with new, drained soil.
Water wisely. Put the pots in a propagator or cover them with a plastic bag. Avoid letting the plastic bag touch the clippings if you cover the cuttings with a plastic bag. Cuttings may fail as a result of this. Make a cage out of bamboo sticks to surround the cutting.
Conclusion
Almost any type of soil will support the growth of the rose of Sharon, albeit it is moisture sensitive if the shrub encounters significant fluctuations between overly dry and damp conditions. You’ll find that the flower buds will fall off before they bloom. When planting a young shrub, place your rose of Sharon in a spot with direct sunlight. It will increase and blossom profusely with minimal maintenance.
Also read: Facts About The Wildflowers
