Overview

Introduce a burst of vibrant color and enduring beauty to your garden with the magnificent Red Rose of Sharon live plant. This deciduous shrub, scientifically known as Hibiscus syriacus, is celebrated for its striking red, hibiscus-like flowers that bloom profusely from mid to late summer, offering a spectacular display when many other plants are beginning to fade. Often referred to simply as Althea, this plant is a favorite among gardeners for its resilience and ability to thrive in a variety of conditions. Our Red Rose of Sharon live plant is carefully cultivated and shipped in a quart-sized pot, ready to be transplanted into your garden or a larger container. It’s an excellent choice for creating a stunning visual impact, providing a long season of interest, and attracting beneficial pollinators to your outdoor space.

The Red Rose of Sharon live plant is a versatile and low-maintenance addition to any landscape. Its upright growth habit makes it suitable for various garden designs, from formal hedges to informal mixed borders. Even during colder months, this plant’s robust nature ensures it will return with vigor when warmer weather arrives. With its captivating red blooms, the Rose of Sharon stands out, providing a touch of tropical flair without the demanding care often associated with tropical plants. This plant is not just about beauty; it’s about bringing life and energy to your garden with minimal effort.

Key Benefits

The Red Rose of Sharon live plant offers numerous advantages for both seasoned and novice gardeners, making it a highly desirable addition to any outdoor space. Its robust nature and stunning aesthetics contribute significantly to garden appeal and ecological balance.

• Spectacular Summer Blooms: Enjoy a prolonged display of brilliant red, hibiscus-like flowers from mid to late summer, providing continuous color when many other plants have finished blooming. These vibrant blossoms create an eye-catching focal point.
• Attracts Pollinators: The showy flowers are a magnet for local wildlife, particularly butterflies and hummingbirds, enhancing your garden’s biodiversity and supporting essential pollination. This makes your garden a lively and dynamic ecosystem.
• Exceptional Hardiness: Known for its adaptability, this hardy flowering shrub can withstand a wide range of growing conditions and is remarkably cold-tolerant, ensuring its return year after year even in cooler climates.
• Drought-Tolerant Once Established: After its initial establishment period, the Red Rose of Sharon live plant becomes quite resistant to dry spells, reducing the need for frequent watering and making it an excellent choice for water-wise gardening.
• Low Maintenance: This shrub requires minimal care once planted, making it ideal for busy gardeners. Its easy-to-grow nature means less time spent on upkeep and more time enjoying its beauty.
• Versatile Landscape Use: Perfect for creating beautiful hedges, privacy screens, mixed borders, or as a striking stand-alone specimen. Its upright form and dense foliage provide structure and interest throughout the growing season.
• Adds Architectural Interest: With its strong, upright growth habit, the Althea shrub care contributes significant architectural interest to the garden, providing a natural backdrop or a central feature.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care ensures your Red Rose of Sharon live plant thrives and produces an abundance of its stunning red flowers. This hardy flowering shrub is relatively low-maintenance, but understanding its specific needs will help it reach its full potential. For optimal growth, plant your Rose of Sharon in a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. While it can tolerate partial shade, too little sun may result in fewer blooms. Ensure good air circulation around the plant to prevent fungal issues.

When it comes to watering, the Red Rose of Sharon live plant prefers consistently moist soil, especially during its establishment period. Once established, it becomes quite drought-tolerant, but regular watering during prolonged dry spells will encourage better flowering. The ideal soil is well-draining, moderately fertile, and slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.0). Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter to improve drainage, and sandy soils to improve water retention. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer before new growth begins. Prune in late winter or early spring to shape the plant, remove dead or damaged branches, and encourage more prolific blooming, as it flowers on new wood. Understanding the basics of Althea shrub care will lead to a healthy, vibrant plant.

Common problems are generally few for the Red Rose of Sharon live plant. Aphids or Japanese beetles can occasionally be an issue; these can usually be managed with insecticidal soap or by hand-picking. It’s also important to note that the plant can self-seed quite readily, so if you wish to prevent unwanted seedlings, deadhead spent flowers before they go to seed. Ensuring proper planting depth and avoiding over-watering will prevent many common root-related issues. This robust shrub is generally disease-resistant, making it a reliable choice for gardeners seeking consistent beauty without constant vigilance. For those considering Rose of Sharon for hedges, regular pruning will help maintain a dense, uniform shape.

Size & Details

This offering is for one Red Rose of Sharon live plant, shipped in a quart-sized nursery pot. Upon arrival, the plant will be a healthy young specimen, typically ranging from 6 to 12 inches in height, depending on the growing season. The plant’s mature size can reach an impressive 8 to 12 feet tall with a spread of 6 to 10 feet, creating a substantial presence in the landscape. It exhibits a moderate to fast growth rate, quickly establishing itself and beginning to produce its vibrant red hibiscus-like flowers within the first few seasons after planting. The shrub’s upright, vase-shaped habit makes it an excellent candidate for various garden applications, from specimen planting to creating dense, vibrant hedges. Expect its first significant flush of blooms in its second or third year after planting, with increasing abundance as it matures.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Red Rose of Sharon live plant get? A: This shrub typically grows to a mature height of 8 to 12 feet with a spread of 6 to 10 feet, depending on growing conditions and pruning habits. It can become a substantial and impressive feature in your garden.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Red Rose of Sharon live plant is primarily an outdoor plant, thriving in garden beds, borders, and as hedges. It is not generally recommended for long-term indoor cultivation, though it can be overwintered indoors in colder climates.
• Q: How much sunlight does the Althea shrub care for? A: This plant requires full sun for best results, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It can tolerate partial shade, but flowering may be reduced.
• Q: What condition will the plant arrive in? A: Your Red Rose of Sharon live plant will arrive as a healthy, live plant in a quart nursery pot. During colder months, it may be dormant with few or no leaves, which is normal and does not indicate an unhealthy plant.
• Q: How long until it blooms? A: While young plants may produce some blooms in their first year, you can expect a significant flush of its beautiful red hibiscus-like flowers in the second or third year after planting, with blooming increasing as the plant matures.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The Rose of Sharon is a very hardy shrub, typically thriving in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-9. It is quite cold-tolerant and will go dormant in winter, returning with new growth in spring.
• Q: Is this hardy flowering shrub easy to care for? A: Yes, the Rose of Sharon is known for being very easy to grow and low-maintenance once established, making it an excellent choice for both beginner and experienced gardeners.
• Q: Can I use Rose of Sharon for hedges? A: Absolutely! Its upright growth habit and dense foliage make it an excellent choice for creating beautiful and vibrant hedges or privacy screens. Regular pruning will help maintain its shape and density.
• Q: What kind of soil does it prefer? A: This shrub prefers well-draining soil that is moderately fertile and slightly acidic to neutral. Good drainage is crucial to prevent root rot.
• Q: How often should I water my Red Rose of Sharon live plant? A: Water regularly during the establishment phase to keep the soil consistently moist. Once established, it is drought-tolerant but will benefit from watering during prolonged dry periods, especially when flowering.