What Is The Lifespan Of Rose of Sharon? A Rose of Sharon can live and thrive, and even produce blooms for 20 or 30 years!
Rose of Sharon dead branches look brown and dried out. You can also take a knife and scratch away half an inch from the bark. If this also looks brown and dry, the shrub could be dead. If you are not sure, keep an eye on the shrub and see if there are any new leaves and flower buds.
Rose of Sharon shrubs can be sensitive to drought or waterlogged soil. Yellowing or browning leaves, dropping buds, wilting plants, or stunted growth problems with althea oftentimes are caused by improper drainage in the planting site.
While many other types of flowering shrubs are still becoming established, rose of Sharon matures with a flush of blooms at two years old, with flowers forming on new growth. The shrub establishes quickly in warmer climates, but can be a bit slower to get going in Zones 5 and 6.
For spectacular flowers and easy care, plant your Rose of Sharon in a spot with good drainage and full sun to partial shade. In northern climates, six or more hours of direct daily sun promotes maximum blooms.
Rose-of-Sharon grows 8 to 10 feet tall and spreads 4 to 10 feet. The growth rate ranges from slow to moderate, and transplanting is easy. Several roots are usually located just beneath the soil surface.
The root system of the rose of Sharon is a taproot system that can grow as deep as 45 cm or 1.5 feet. Most of the roots could be found in the top 23 to 30 cm or 8 to 12 inches of soil but it it can reach as far as 76 cm or 30 inches away from the plant.
Can Rose of Sharon Be Kept Small? While rose of Sharon can withstand some light pruning in early spring, it does not grow well when continually trimmed to stay small. Cutting your rose of Sharon throughout the growing season will lead to reduced blooms and an overall stressed plant.
Mature Size. The rose-of-sharon grows to a height of 8–12' and a spread of 6–10' at maturity.
Rose of Sharon, rose mallow, althea, and hardy hibiscus are all common names for the same plant. The botanical name for this plant is Hibiscus syriacus. Hibiscus syriacus is very easy to grow and reaches an impressive size of 10×12 feet.
Rose of Sharon is an easy-growing, low-maintenance plant once established. Improper watering can cause buds and leaves to drop, while pests like aphids and Japanese beetles can damage leaves, and nematodes in the soil can affect roots.
Best Fertilizer for Rose of Sharon
An ideal fertilizer would be a slow-release formula with a balanced composition, such as 10-10-10 or 14-14-14. The second number, phosphorus can be higher than the rest, but a higher nitrogen level is not recommended.
When you notice dying branches, prune away and discard all leaves, branches and stems, making sure the cuts are made with clean, sterile pruning shears or loppers. Giving it a good 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch around the root zone in the fall will also help.
Because rose of Sharon blooms on the current season's growth it should be pruned in late winter. Next winter, remove any new growth from the previous year and an additional third from the existing old growth.
Stress from over or under watering can cause rose of Sharon shrubs to drop its flower buds, cancelling your summer show. While drought-tolerant once established, these plants like consistent moisture with excellent drainage. Pruning too late in the season can be another cause.
Rose of Sharon leaves turn yellow when they do not have enough nitrogen for proper growth. Too much fertilizer can also cause yellowing or scorching, burning the roots and damaging the plant. Apply fertilizer only to moist soil, then water well to distribute the food evenly.
To propagate a rose of Sharon, dividing is not recommended, but taking cuttings can work well. In early to midsummer, trim lengths of six or seven inches, dip in rooting hormone, and plant in soilless mix, keeping evenly moist, covering if necessary, until new growth appears.
Rose of Sharon will root from either softwood or hardwood cuttings. Softwood cuttings are taken from soft new growth in May or June, just as it begins to harden or mature. The cutting should be a shoot with leaf sizes ranging from small new leaves at the tip to older mature leaves lower on the cutting.
To plant rose of Sharon in a single hedgerow, plant the shrubs 2 to 3 feet apart. Planting rose of Sharon close to buildings will give them some cold protection, which can help them over-winter successfully.
Deadhead the Flowers
Removing the blooms and developing seed pods—a process known as deadheading—halts the seed production process in its tracks, and thereby prevents the rampant self-seeding for which rose of Sharon is famous. When the flowers of your shrub are done blooming, simply deadhead them.
PLANTING & CARING FOR ROSE OF SHARON
Space plants 6-10 feet apart, depending on the variety. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 times wider. Remove the plant gently from its nursery pot and loosen the soil around the roots.
Rose of Sharon colors include white, pink, blue, purple, lavender, and red. Some of the prettiest rose of Sharon varieties are bicolored with darker throats. While rose of Sharon is technically a bush, not a tree, you can train rose of Sharon as a tree by pruning to one main trunk (leader).
Rose bush roots can grow down to about 3 feet (90 cm) deep and spread out 3 feet wide so it's best to give your roses plenty of space when planting, especially large varieties like climbing roses.
Propagate your Rose of Sharon cuttings in compost
Keep the cutting moist and away from direct sun- it should root in a month or two.