Rose of Sharon - Hibiscus syriacus - €10 per plant 

Rose of Sharon will help to bring a bit of tropical beauty to more temperate climates. The blooms that arrive in late summer give your garden lovely colour as autumn draws in, with the added bonus of being able to eat the flowers. It's a very easy plant to care for and attracts a wide range of beneficial organisms, providing a welcome food source into October.  We have 1yr old plants grown from seed and they will need to spend their first winter inside and be planted out in the spring. To order this plant please contact us [email protected].  

Context

  • native region: E. Asia - China to India. Locally naturalized in S. Europe
  • native habitat:Found wild on mountain slopes, though the original habitat is obscure
  • family: Malvaceae

Predators

  • Aphids
  • Spider mites.
  • Diseases include leaf spot, blight, and cankers.

Needs, tolerances 

  • Light: Semi-shade or no shade
  • soil pH:  acid-neutral -basic alkaline 
  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9
  • Prefers moist soil
  • Prune as needed to maintain the shape desired. In winter or early spring, last season's growth should be pruned away, which will help produce bigger blooms.

Known hazards 

  • none known 

Overview

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  • Deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft) by 2 m (6ft) at a medium rate. ​
  • It is in flower in September, and the seeds ripen in October. 
  • The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
  • Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. 
  • Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. 
  • It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. 
  • It prefers moist soil.

Characteristics

  • form: multi-stemmed Shrub  
  • layer : Shrub Layer
  • habit: med sized shrub
  • height x width (m): 3 x 2
  • years to bearing flowers :  yr  
  • productive life span: 20-30 yrs 

Products 

  • Leaves: young  raw or cooked. A very mild flavour, though slightly on the tough side, they make an acceptable addition to the salad bowl. A tea is also made from the leaves.
  • Flowers: A mild flavour and mucilaginous texture, they are delightful in salads, both for looking at and for eating
  • Root: is edible but very fibrousy.
  • Black or green dyes can be obtained from the flowers, leaves and stems combined and  orange-gold to brown dye can be obtained from the flowers
  • A low quality fibre is obtained from the stems. It is used for making cordage and paper.
  •  A hair shampoo is made from the leaves
  • A blue dye is obtained from the flowers.
  • This species is planted as a hedge in S. Europe

Functions, behaviours

  • A very ornamental plant
  • Though it is naturally a multi-stemmed shrub, Rose of Sharon can be trained to have a single trunk, looking more like a tree. It can also be trained as an espalier or shaped into a hedge.
  • The blooms are pollinated by insects or birds. After the flowers die, five-celled capsules containing many seeds ripen until brown and dry. Seed is dispersed when they split open
If you would like this plant please send an email to [email protected] with your order. 
Balkan Ecology Project