Althea, Rose-of-Sharon

Hibiscus syriacus

Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

▲ mature, flowering shrub in summer

▲ twigs and leaves

▲▼ single flowered form

▲ mature, double-flowered form

▲▼ double flowers

Location on campus:  just across pavement from southeast door of Karls Hall, at northwest corner of Craig Hall, north of loading dock of Craig Hall

Hibiscus syriacus: Rose-of-Sharon, Althea

·         leaves deciduous, alternate, simple, palmately veined, 3-lobed with smaller teeth or lobes around margins; 2-4" long and 2/3 to equally wide; leaves medium to dark green and mostly glabrous

·         stems rounded with slight rough texture on new growth, older stems gray; pith white with green border, continuous

·         flowers single and double in pink, white, lavender, rose in pairs or solitary in leaf axils and terminal locations on new growth in mid summer to early fall; fruit is a capsule

·         grows 8-12' tall and 2/3 as wide as vase-shaped upright shrub

·         prefers full sun to part shade; soil adaptable except extreme wet or dry; prune out old stems regularly to maintain good vigor and flowering

·         medium growth rate