35 named cultivars

shrub

Rose of Sharon

Q: What zones can Rose of Sharon grow in?

Rose of Sharon is hardy in USDA Zones 5–9. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Q: Is Rose of Sharon deer resistant?

Yes — Rose of Sharon is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

Q: When does Rose of Sharon bloom?

Rose of Sharon typically blooms in midsummer to frost through early fall. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Q: Does Rose of Sharon need full sun?

Rose of Sharon does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.

Q: Is Rose of Sharon drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Rose of Sharon handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.

Hibiscus syriacus

$22.50

The Story

Plant Bio

Hibiscus syriacus, rose of Sharon, is an upright multi-stemmed deciduous shrub native to southern China and Taiwan, reaching eight to twelve feet. Coarsely toothed medium-green leaves emerge late in spring, and broad hollyhock-like flowers in white, pink, lavender or violet — often with a contrasting red eye — open from midsummer until frost.

It flowers when most shrubs have finished, on the current season's wood, so hard spring pruning increases the display rather than costing it. Its main drawback is prolific self-seeding: seedlings appear across a garden and in nearby woodland, so choose one of the sterile triploid cultivars, which flower more heavily and set almost no seed.

Uses & Benefits:

Large tropical-looking flowers from midsummer to frost, when most shrubs have finished.

Tolerates heat, salt, wet soil and pollution, and flowers reliably with little care.

Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, and supports the specialist bee Ptilothrix bombiformis.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Shrub

Height

120 inches

Width

96 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun

Zones

5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Water

Moderate

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Southern China and Taiwan

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Marketplace

Where to Buy

Dancing Oaks

<1 Gal Pot

In Stock$22.50

Shipping costs Year-round shipping Free shipping

Planting

How to Grow

Plant in spring or autumn in almost any well-drained soil.
Choose full sun for the heaviest flowering.
Allow six to ten feet of width.
Water through the first season.
Prune hard in early spring; it flowers on new wood.
Choose a sterile cultivar or remove seedpods before they open.

Pro Tip

Buy a sterile triploid cultivar — they flower harder and skip the seedling problem that makes the older forms a nuisance.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Prune hard in early spring ✂️
Plant in full sun for best bloom ☀️
Choose sterile cultivars to avoid seedlings 🌸
Be patient; it leafs out very late 🍃

Don't

Prune after growth starts ❌
Assume it has died in a late spring ❌
Let seedpods ripen if you want no volunteers ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monitor
Prune

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Late-summer flowering shrub or informal hedgeContainer specimen in tree formBoundary and screening planting

Companion Plants

Crape Myrtle Butterfly Bush Russian Sage Black-Eyed Susan Switchgrass

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Rose of Sharon questions

What zones can Rose of Sharon grow in?

Rose of Sharon is hardy in USDA Zones 5–9. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Rose of Sharon deer resistant?

Yes — Rose of Sharon is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Rose of Sharon bloom?

Rose of Sharon typically blooms in midsummer to frost through early fall. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Rose of Sharon need full sun?

Rose of Sharon does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.

Is Rose of Sharon drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Rose of Sharon handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.