How to Prune Rose of Sharon

Maintaining Rose of Sharon in your garden or yard is easy, but you should understand the natural environment that best suits the plant. Rose of Sharon is the common name of the Hibiscus syriacus, also known as Althea or Hardy Hibiscus. It is a beautiful deciduous shrub that grows in a wide range of climates. Carefully pruning the flower in its first 2 years helps ensure a healthy and beautiful plant.

Rose of Sharon Overview

Rose of Sharon grows best in full sun and can tolerate all but the hottest climates. If you live in a very hot climate, consider planting where the flower will receive afternoon shade. Winter temperatures down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit are acceptable for growing Rose of Sharon, although winter mulch will be helpful in cold environments.

TIP: Our expert gardening adviser, Rachel Klein adds, "The climate is most favorable in USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9."

Water the plant regularly and keep the soil fairly moist. However, keep in mind that overwatering may be harmful to the plant. Rose of Sharon leaves will grow out later than those of many other deciduous shrubs. Bloom colors can be red, white, lavender, pink, or light blue. Some have double blooms (double rows of petals that make for a fuller flower).

Rose of Sharon will grow to approximately 8-12 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide. Proper pruning methods and overwintering will contribute to a full and healthy growth.

TIP: Rachel suggests, "If you love the look of the Rose of Sharon, but do not have the space or the time for pruning, consider buying a miniature species such as Hibiscus syriacus, 'Minerva,' which reaches only 5-8 feet tall."

Prune to Ideal Shape in the First 2 Years

During the first 2 years, prune Rose of Sharon to a shape of your liking. Do any heavy pruning in early spring, before the plant leafs out. Light pruning throughout the year will help maintain the shape and form of the plant.

TIP: Rachel want's you to know, "Pruning techniques vary with your desired shape. For a fuller rounder bush, make 'heading cuts' by shortening the preexisting branches. For a more natural vase-like shape make 'thinning cuts' by removing the entire stem. The Rose of Sharon is naturally a multi-stemmed shrub, though it can be pruned to have one main 'trunk' and is sometimes referred to as the Rose of Sharon Tree."

Maintain Shape and Form with Light Pruning

Pruning Rose of Sharon in the early springtime encourages blooming while allowing you to remove any portions of the plant damaged by winter temperatures and winds. Pruning the shrub back to 2 or 3 buds per branch will encourage larger blossoms. You can give old or overgrown shrubs a new lease on life by pruning one third of the oldest main stems to the ground each spring for 3 years. After the third year you will have a more compact and better flowering shrub.

You can safely prune Rose of Sharon back to stubs of about 2 feet without damaging the plant. However, smaller pruning jobs will help to form a more natural appearance in the plant.

TIP: Rachel suggests, "Remove dead, diseased, and injured branches at any time of year."

Because Rose of Sharon is a large shrub, it is best when given a good deal of free space in which to grow. Unless you are willing to prune it heavily each spring, do not plant Rose of Sharon in an area with limited space. Additionally, if you do plant Rose of Sharon in a wide open area, it is not absolutely necessary to prune the plant at all.

Other Tips

Rose of Sharon should remain in the ground to overwinter. Do not fertilize the plant prior to the late fall and winter seasons, as a fair amount of seasonal damage is common. However, Rose of Sharon does well over the winter when insulated in a moderate to heavy cover of snow.

Rose of Sharon is a beautiful shrub that blooms over a long period of time and through the height of summer, as many other plants are no