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