Rose of Sharon: The Garden Star of Western New York
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacs), also known as Althea, is a beautiful and versatile flowering shrub offering many unique characteristics, making it a desirable addition to any garden. Its showy, large flowers bloom in a wide range of colors including white, pink, purple, and blue. These blooms not only provide an eye-catching display but also attract butterflies and other pollinators.
Additionally, Rose of Sharon is known for its extended bloom period, typically spanning from midsummer to early fall. This prolonged flowering season ensures a continuous burst of color and visual interest throughout the late summer months when many other flowering plants are starting to fade. In terms of its growth pattern, Rose of Sharon typically grows in an upright, multi-stemmed habit, reaching heights of 8 to 12 feet, providing excellent screening and privacy when planted as a hedge or border.
In Western New York, you can find a selection of hibiscus cultivars well-suited to the region's climate. The landscape design experts at Alandscape In Lakeville, New York, can walk you through the many varieties of Rose of Sharon and help you choose the one that best suits your needs and personal taste. They are the premier garden and landscape providers of Livingston County. Here is their guide to a few popular cultivars:
Hibiscus syriacus “Azurri Blue Satin”: This variety of Rose of Sharon with large, vibrant blue-purple flowers is striking in appearance. Its dense foliage makes it an ideal choice for hedges or privacy screens. This cultivar is a prolific bloomer, offering a long-lasting display of color throughout the summer months. With its unique and eye-catching flowers, “Azurri Blue Satin” adds a touch of elegance and charm to any garden landscape.
Hibiscus syriacus “Dark Lavender Chiffon”: This is an exquisite Rose of Sharon variety, featuring deep purple double flowers which create a stunning display in the garden. With its vigorous, upright growth habit and a long blooming period, it brings long-lasting rich color to the landscape. “Dark Lavender Chiffon” is a low-maintenance shrub which thrives in various soil types and is particularly resilient in hot and humid climates, making it a fantastic addition to any Western New York garden.
Hibiscus syriacus “Paraplu Rouge”: Known for its striking red blooms, “Paraplu Rouge” adds a bold splash of color to gardens in Western New York. This gorgeous cultivar of Rose of Sharon features double maroon-red flowers reminiscent of umbrellas. Its compact and rounded growth habit makes it an excellent choice for smaller gardens or containers. “Paraplu Rouge” blooms profusely during the summer months, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. This variety also has a high tolerance for heat and drought conditions, making it a resilient and hardy addition to your landscape.
Hibiscus syriacus 'White Chiffon': Graceful and elegant, this Rose of Sharon variety flaunts its large, ruffled pure white flowers against a backdrop of dark green foliage. “White Chiffon” offers a prolific blooming period, adding a lasting touch of timeless beauty to your garden throughout the summer. Beautiful and requiring little maintenance, this shrub thrives in various soil types and degrees of sun exposure, making it a versatile and captivating feature to your landscape design.
Rose of Sharon is a hardy and low-maintenance shrub that can thrive in various soil types and tolerate both sun and partial shade conditions. It is also relatively drought-tolerant once established, making it suitable for a wide range of garden settings and climates.
Because of its charm, adaptability, and truly stunning blooms, the Rose of Sharon is a popular choice for the diverse conditions of Western New York gardens. Contact the professional landscape designers at Alandscape to help you pick the perfect Rose of Sharon variety to enhance your garden landscape.
