Could there be a flower more beautiful than a rose? Perhaps. Rose of Sharon might have the same name, but with the first look at this flower, you understand: it’s not a rose at all, but a different kind of flower. What kind of flower exactly? Let’s find out.
Here, you will learn about the Rose of Sharon and its popular varieties, including Purple Pillar, Blue Chiffon, and Sugar Tip. Then we will go over the care tips and benefits of this beautiful plant.
We all love flowers, but we do not always know the name of our favourite blooms. With flower identification via apps, you will know every flower’s name.
The Rose of Sharon is a beautiful and hardy flowering shrub. It's popular in gardens for its showy blooms and easy care.
Despite its name, it’s not actually a rose, and belongs to the hibiscus family (Hibiscus syriacus). A rose that goes by any other name, you might say, and the true name is Rose of Sharon Hibiscus.
As for the exact “type” of this plant, it may be simultaneously a bush or a tree, depending on the trim. Even a full-grown Rose of Sharon tree is small enough to be considered a bush as well.
Rose of Sharon Overview | |
Feature | Details |
Origin | Asia (particularly China and India) |
Type | Deciduous flowering shrub |
Size | Typically 8–12 feet tall, 6–10 feet wide |
Life span | Long-lived, often 20–30+ years with proper care |
Leaf Colors | Medium green, oval, and slightly serrated (look like they have small cuts on the edges) |
Flowers | Large, showy blooms (2–4 inches across) in shades of white, pink, lavender, purple, and sometimes bi-colored |
Propagation | From seed and softwood cuttings |
Toxicity | Non-toxic to humans and generally safe for pets (cats, dogs, horses) |
Special Features | Extremely hardy and give beautiful flowers |
Fun fact: This is the national flower of South Korea. There, it’s called Mugunghwa, symbolizing endurance and eternal beauty. The flower itself has a gigantic legacy, from Bible references to game references. A character by the name Rose of Sharon Cassidy appears in a Fallout game.
Flowers are ornamental plants (most often), used for interior and exterior design. Selective breeders came up with different varieties of this flower, ranging in shape, colors, and size. Rose of Sharon colors have a great range, from blue to white.
A unique columnar form. While the common Sharon is spread out, bushy, this variety grows upright. The pillar is about 10 to 16 ft tall, but narrow at just 4–5 ft wide, ideal for spaces needing vertical accents, screens, or privacy hedging. You can make e Rose of Sharon hedge with any variety, but Purple Pillar is the best fit.
The plant is low-maintenance, and like many purple coloured shrubs, is a sun lover. There are other colorations of the pillar variety, like a white pillar Rose of Sharon.
Blue coloration is rare in the world of flora. For example, collectors have been looking for blue Coleus for ages, but gardeners still can't come up with a proper blue variety. Somehow, the Chiffon variety can attain this blue colour and many others (for example, purple and pink Chiffon Rose of Sharon).
As for the name “Chifon”, the variety is named after a popular lustrous French fabric, and both share the subtle colour gradient.
The Blue Rose of Sharon Chiffon is upright, gracefully rounded. The blossoms are powder-blue with ruffled petals. This variety adds an elegant, cool-toned highlight to late-season gardens.
This small shrub was named for the creamy ends of its blossoms. Some flowers are light pink and others are pale, making them a completely white Rose of Sharon.
The semi-dwarf, upright shrub reaches about 5–6 ft tall, making it compact. The foliage is variegated, foliage: creamy white on bluish-green leaves.
Surprisingly, the roses of Sharon bushes are exceptionally sturdy. They can take a lot of heat and still bloom. In this way, Sharon is similar to Almond Trees. They, too, can bloom with beautiful flowers in the middle of the heat.
Here’s what you do to grow healthy Sharon shrubs.
This plant can and preferably should get full sun (6–8+ hours of sunlight daily).
Partial shade works too, but slightly stunts the growth and reduces the number and quality of blooms.
The shrub is adaptable to most soils: sandy, clay, and even loamy soil. It’s a rare combination. For example, other heat-loving plants like Agave take any soil but loamy, otherwise they get overwatered and start rotting. Sharon, another heat-loving plant, on the other hand, grows even in loamy soil.
Well-drained soil is the best pick. Some gardeners advise putting mulch around the base to retain moisture and keep roots cool.
The Rose of Sheron needs different amounts of water depending on its age. When it’s young, it’s delicate. You need to keep it evenly moist until it gets established (survives its first growing season).
Once it grows up, it becomes drought-tolerant. You won’t need to water it more than once a week. Avoid waterlogging, as soggy roots may lead to the downfall of this shrub.
Hibiscus Rose of Sharon is hardy in USDA zones 5–9, making it exceptionally resilient and versatile. Plants that grow in similar hardness zones (e.q, Hydrangeas) can survive mild winters and hot summers.
In winter, Rose of Sharon goes into hibernation and “wakes up” in the spring/ Don’t worry if it leaves out late in spring. It’s one of the last shrubs to wake up!
A balanced slow-release fertilizer works well, but avoids too much nitrogen. Nitrogen encourages leafy growth, and leaves overpopulate, stealing spots for flowers to grow.
A yearly layer of compost around the base also helps to boost the growing speed and quality.
This shrub propagates by seeds and cuttings. Unfortunately, most modern cultivars are sterile (don’t produce viable seeds). Therefore, we will concentrate on the more universal way, propagation by cuttings.
Cutting gets soft and hard depending on the season: soft in spring–early summer, and dry in colder seasons.
Take 4–6 inch cuttings from new, flexible growth in warm seasons, or 6–8 inch cuttings from dormant wood in colder seasons.
Remove lower leaves, and dip the cut end in rooting hormone. The lower leaf nodes will turn into roots when you follow the next steps. Place the cutting in a moist potting mix.
Cover the cutting with a plastic dome or bag to maintain humidity.
Roots usually form in 4–6 weeks. In colder seasons, even indoors, they will take a bit longer to grow.
Once the sapling grows up, you may put it outside.
Why do plants need pruning? For health and ornamental reasons. Pruning helps this shrub to keep a pretty manageable form, and also allows new growth to take place, when you get rid of old dried out branches late winter to very early spring (before new growth begins).
Clean up dead or damaged wood. Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches at the base. Garden shears or a knife are great instruments/
Cut back last year’s growth by about 1/3 to 1/2. This promotes bushier growth and more flower sites.
Shape the plant. Sharon can look like both a tree and a shrub. If you want a tree, you’ll have to leave one main stem, and for shrubs, you can leave many.
When you finish pruning, be on the lookout for the first few days. The plant is weak after pruning, so it might get pests or diseases.
Is there more than just beauty to this rose? Let’s see about that!
Category | Benefits |
Ornamental Beauty | Large blooms appear from mid-summer to fall, and can spice up any garden or interior. You can choose one of the many forms (shrub, hedge, tree) for the perfect landscape. |
Pollinator Friendly | Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Provides nectar late in the season. |
Low Maintenance | Tolerates drought, heat, and varied soils. You won’t need to spend too much time or money on the plant. |
Cultural Value | The national flower of South Korea (Mugunghwa) symbolizes resilience and beauty. Mentioned in literature and games. |
Non-Toxic & Herbal | Safe for humans and pets to consume. Flowers are sometimes used in teas and folk medicine. It’s known as Hibiscus tea in general stores. |
There are many other flowers in the world, with over a million different names. Some of these flowers look so similar that even a trained human eye might confuse them. Plant ID apps can help you with identification when you feel unsure.
On iOS and Android, you will find a free app named AI Plant Finder. The main function of the app is flora identification. You capture a photo of a plant, and the app uses AI to identify it, providing details like common and scientific names, family, and care requirements. It works with many flowers, shrubs, and even trees.
The secondary function is Disease Identification. The app can detect signs of plant diseases and pests, offering treatment recommendations. For example, yellowed leaves or signs of rotting.
Finally, the app works as a helper for gardeners. The app can set personalized reminders for watering, fertilizing, and other plant care tasks. Plus, you’ll have access to a light meter, a great tool if you don't know if your flower gets enough sun during the day.
All in all, AI Plant Finder is an excellent pick for any gardener/botanist.
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