Rose of Sharon Hibiscus: Tropical Beauty in Moderate Climate

The rose of Sharon hibiscus is a deciduous shrub that blooms during the summer months. Very popular as it brings a fresh tropical note to the garden and blooms all summer right after the bright and lavish spring summer bloom. Even though it is called rose, this shrub belongs to the hibiscus family. Its home is Asia and India.

The plant is also known under the names of althaea and hardy hibiscus. This plant feels best in the full sun although grows well in the half-shade as well. It is very tolerant and undemanding not affected by the polluted air and so is great for the urban gardens.

Hibiscus Plant Care

Although tropical plants have a reputation for not feeling well in the moderate climate the tree care for this beauty is not too hard. We have plenty of tips for you to follow.

This shrub needs to be moist. So make sure you regularly water it supplying it with moderate amounts of water so save on too much watering. The tree grows best in the well drained soil with lots of organic matter. It is best to pot the tree for the winter and keep it indoors.

Otherwise it will be irreversibly damaged by the below zero temperatures. If you water this plant way too much then the buds will start falling off. The same problem applies when using too much fertilizer. This tree will also grow well in a flower pot. It is tolerant of the droughts and so feels good indoors as well.

Pruning Tips

Pruning options are varied and can be really of fun. You can turn this shrub into a single stem tree, a green fence or an espalier. Make sure to prune it during winter or the beginning of spring before it starts growing. Also the last year’s growth should be pruned off in order to get the shape right.

So remember about these easy steps:

• Prune only in winter or early summer
• Prune off the last year’s growth
• Prune as much as you need to obtain and maintain the desired shape

Rose of Sharon Benefits

Now that you have looked through our useful tips and tricks as we have gathered plenty of information to make the gardening much easier for you feel confident that your rose of Sharon will grow just right. This plant has a whole lot of benefits to make up for all the efforts and time spent on grooming and caring of the plant.

It can attract butterflies and hummingbirds to fill your garden with even more beauty. The blossoms are edible and develop into the capsules of seeds but make sure to collect them on time as the plant is very invasive and you do not want any of them falling on the ground.