Rose of Sharon

Hibiscus resi, also known as Rose of Sharon, is a hybrid of Hibiscus paramutabilis and Hibiscus syriacus. Its leaves resemble those of a field maple rather than a typical Hibiscus, but its floral display is unmistakable. Large lilac/pink blooms are produced much earlier than more traditionally planted Hibiscus syriacus varieties and first emerge in July. The trick with Hibiscus is to prune back heavily in the winter, as this encourages more spring growth. As the flowers are borne on new season wood, you get more flowers for a greater period of time if the crown is reduced by up to 50% every winter when the tree is dormant. Rose of Sharon can also give you a surprise! In some years, when conditions are favourable, the flower colour can vary to white with a dark throat. It is unknown whether this is soil or temperature related, and sometimes both pink and white flowers can be present on the same tree. In all cases, the show is amazing, and this striking tree is a must for a small garden. Hibiscus resi thrives on most free draining soils, but benefits from a top dressing of general fertilizer every spring to enhance flower size and vigour. For glorious large blooms this tree is difficult to beat in a small garden.

Common names

Rose of Sharon

Height of tree

3-5m

Soil type

Will tolerate most soil types

Shape

Multi-stemmed

Blossom Colour

PinkWhite

Foliage Colour

Green

Genus

Hibiscus