Hibiscus Syriacus Althaea or Althea | Rose of Sharon

2017 June 28

Hibiscus syriacus | Rose of Sharon,  Shrub Althea

Malvaceae (Mallow Family) Pronounced Mal-vay-cee-eye

Pronounced Hi-bis-cus  Siri-aye-cus

The name "Hibiscus" is from an old Greek and Latin name for "mallow" because it resembles the mallow blossom.

The name "Syriacus" is due to the plant having thought to be from Syria, but this is incorrect as it is native of eastern Asia.

Deciduous shrub

The flowers are pink with "red eyes."

Best in full sun.

In the Autumn or late Winter, I would always trim these shrubs down low because they would take off in the Spring and get so tall and overwhelming. It was certainly vigorous!

We had at least four Rose of Sharon's in our yard when we moved into our home in 1986. There were three down the right side of the back yard and one or two on the left side near the carport. I am sure they were there for a long time before that date. The last photos I took were 2019, so I am assuming that is the year we dug up the last one. Some we dug up and some died.

I was never really a fan of them, although they were quiet showy. It just is not a shape of a flower I like. I do not know why I felt that way. It does remind me of a tropical Hawaiian-type of flower. They were more work than they brought me joy.

Althea is also known as the "hardy hibiscus."

I do remember a little story about the Rose of Sharon. My little Miss Tizzy kept getting poison ivy on her fur and causing me to have an alergic reaction every year because I hold her a lot and the oils transferred to my skin. We search everywhere for the patch of poison ivy she was getting into and one year I finally found it hiding behind the Rose of Sharon. It had been there all these years and I had no idea it was there. She was just small enough to get between the fence and the trunk of the shrub.

2019

I made a graphic with a definition of "unfurl" on it with a photo of the Rose of Sharon.

2017

2014

2008

2007

2001

 

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