August Plant of the Month: Rose of Sharon
Rose of Sharon is a lovely flowering shrub to add to your garden for mid to late summer colour.
If the summer is hot and dry, the garden in August can start to look a little tired. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), also known as the Korean rose or tree hollyhock, is a great addition at this time of year. Flowering from mid‑summer right into early autumn, Rose of Sharon fills that tricky seasonal gap when many shrubs begin to fade. This shrub has standout qualities that bring colour, resilience, and a touch of the exotic to your garden. With it’s tropical‑looking blooms, easy‑going nature, and wide range of varieties, it’s a brilliant addition to borders, mixed shrub plantings, or as a statement specimen.
Appearance
- Hibiscus syriacus has an upright, vase‑shaped form and tropical‑looking flowers that appear just when the garden needs a late‑season lift.
- Typically, multi‑stemmed with a naturally upright habit, it reaches 2–3 metres tall if not regularly pruned. Older shrubs develop a graceful, slightly arching structure.
- The blooms are the real highlight of this shrub and they look similar to hollyhock flowers. Often 7-10cm across they have an exotic look about them, coming in single, semi-double or fully double.
- Colours range between white, pink, lavender, blue and purple, often with a contrasting red or burgundy eye.
Where to Plant Them
- Hardy Hibiscus is very adaptable and can cope with many situations, but for best performance, it’s best in full sun, in a sheltered position to protect the delicate flowers.
- It prefers well drained soil and once established will tolerate dry conditions. Also being pollution tolerant, it’s a great choice for town gardens or front gardens close to roads.
- It can be incorporated into a mixed shrub border, particularly in a tropical style planting scheme, but can also be used as a focal point plant.
- With an upright habit, it’s also great for compact spaces or against a fence or wall to give height.
Left: Hibiscus syriacus ‘Oiseau bleu’
Pests and Diseases
- Rose of Sharon are generally hassle free with only a few potential issues that can be easily managed.
- Aphids can cluster on new growth and buds. A strong blast of water or a mild soap spray usually clears them.
- Leaf spot, identifiable as brown or black spotting on the leaves is caused by fungi. Remove affected leaves to prevent spread and improve air circulation by removing any deadwood and congested branches when pruning.
Plant Care
- Rose of Sharon needs little care, but yearly pruning can help keep a neat shape and encourage new flowering shoots.
- They flower on new wood, so prune in late winter or early spring, removing any crossing, dead or weak stems. They respond well to hard pruning.
- Like all newly planted shrubs, water regularly in the first year to help establish deep roots and a healthy strong plant in the future.
- Once established they will tolerate drought and only need watering in prolonged dry spells.
Varieties to Consider
- The Chiffon series all have elegant, semi-double flowers composed of two rows of petals and they are more compact than other varieties:
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Chiffon’: soft lavender‑blue blooms with a frilly centre. One of the most popular varieties.
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘White Chiffon’: pure white, semi‑double flowers that brighten any border.
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘China Chiffon’: semi-double white blossoms with red centres.
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Starburst Chiffon’: a particularly showy variety with soft pink flowers and deep pink veins which create a starburst-like effect.
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Red Heart’: white petals with a striking deep red centre; classic and eye‑catching.
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Woodbridge’: single deep pink single blooms, with a particularly upright habit.
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Purple Pillar’: a columnar, narrow form perfect for small gardens or tight spaces.
- Hibiscus syriacus ‘Oiseau Bleu’ (Blue Bird): features striking, large light blue/violet flowers with a dark red centre. It’s a classic choice that handles cooler UK conditions
From planning a new border to a complete garden remodel, we pride ourselves on transforming ideas into beautiful reality, with minimum disruption. If you’re based in or around the Reading and Newbury area, we’d love to meet and discuss your project in detail – book your free no-obligation garden consultation today.