A Guide to Selecting, Planting, and Growing Roses of Sharon

By Natalie Carmolli, Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Shrubs

It's the end of summer. It has been hot and dry for days on end. If that sounds like your garden, rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) might already be your favorite shrub. And if it's not? Give it a minute.

Known as althea in the South, this hardy hibiscus is the plant that shows up when everything else in the garden is running out of steam. Big, tropical-looking blooms. Weeks and weeks of flowers. A plant that laughs off heat, drought, and hungry deer. While the spring show is winding down and the summer stalwarts are looking tired, rose of Sharon is just getting warmed up.

Here's how to choose one, plant it, and keep it happy.

Selecting the right rose of Sharon

Not all roses of Sharon are created equal, so it pays to know what to look for. First, consider habit. Older varieties tend to grow lumpy and unruly, so seek out newer selections bred for a tidier, more elegant shape, ideally one that grows taller than wide so it fits into borders and hedges without sprawling. Second, look at flower color. Newer varieties have moved past the muddy tones of older cultivars, toward more saturated hues. Third, think about flower size. Bigger blooms mean more impact, and more nectar traffic from hummingbirds and butterflies.

The Paraplu® series from Proven Winners® ColorChoice® checks all three boxes. Selected specifically for colorful, oversized flowers on refined, taller-than-wide habits, these beauties offer a bloom for nearly every palette. Paraplu Red® is the closest to red the species has ever come. Paraplu Violet® blooms in a purple-blue that practically glows, Paraplu Pink Ink® pairs white petals with a dark pink tie-dyed center, and Paraplu® Pure White lights up evening gardens after sundown.

If your space calls for something slightly narrower, the columnar 10-16’ tall, 4-5’ wide Pillar® series is worth a look, and Sugar Tip® brings a smaller 5-6’ size with variegated foliage to the mix.

Planting for success

Rose of Sharon asks for two things: full sun and well-drained soil. Give it at least six hours of direct sunlight a day and it will reward you with nonstop blooms from midsummer into fall. It isn't fussy about soil type or pH, and it handles clay better than most flowering shrubs, welcome news for gardeners dealing with heavy ground.

Planting is simple. Dig a hole wider than the container and just as deep, set the shrub so the top of the root ball sits level with the soil, backfill, and water thoroughly. Spring and fall are both fine times to plant. Finish with a layer of mulch to hold moisture and keep roots cooler through those scorching afternoons.

Growing and care

Water regularly during the first year while roots establish. After that, rose of Sharon is remarkably drought tolerant and rarely needs supplemental water, even through a punishing summer. A dose of balanced fertilizer each spring keeps blooms coming strong.

Here's the best part: no pruning required. Roses of Sharon maintain their elegant shape naturally. There's no deadheading, no babying, no drama. Just weeks and weeks of fun and fabulous hibiscus flowers feeding the pollinators while you sip something cold in the shade.

Hardy in USDA zones 5-9, rose of Sharon thrives whether your winters bring real cold or barely a frost.

Learn more about planting care and the entire line of Proven Winners ColorChoice roses of Sharon by navigating to this online guide: Discover Roses of Sharon. When you’re ready to buy, look for the distinctive white Proven Winners containers at your local garden center, and get ready for the toughest tropical show in town.

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