Hibiscus syriacus 'JWNWood4' PINK CHIFFON® Rose-of-Sharon
size/type
medium-sized shrub,medium-sized shrub
usual height
1,5-3m
usual width
1-1,5m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
showy
colour of flowers
blooming time
July-September
location
full sun
soil type
neutral
soil moisture requirements
tolerates (but does not demand) wet ground
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Rose-of-Sharon deserves more attention for its abundant flowering in summer. These maintenance-free shrubs come from eastern Asia and are the inevitable ingredient of every summer garden which they highlight with a wide range of coloured flowers. There has been a number of cultivars available since its discovery. They have various bloom colours, shapes and sizes, as well as variegated leaves.
Description of the plant:
PINK CHIFFON® is the fourth in the row of Chiffon series of Rose-of-Sharon hybridized by English botanist Dr.Roderick Woods. Immensely beautiful flowers are large – 8-10 cm across, soft pink with rich burgundy red rays coming from the central eye. So far they are the most double flowers from the Chiffon series. They come out reliably every year in July and don’t stop blooming until all buds have gone - sometimes by end September. Patented under PP24336 in 2014.It has very decorative leaves that are unique. They are narrowly palmate, 3-lobed, mid to dark green and coarsely toothed. If they turn yellow in summer the plant manifests too much water at the roots. They are either over-watered or planted in too heavy soil where it has not established yet.
I am quite surprised when I read comments about its pruning. Especially in older encyclopedias and on some West-European and American websites it is recommended to prune it every spring after frosts to encourage better flowering. Our hibiscus plants were only trimmed when they were young, and we did it before we planted them to achieve a compact shapes if the plants were delivered unsightly. Then nothing. They are located in different places throughout the garden with various soil types and quality, and they all grow relatively the same speed = medium slow (10-15 cm per year). Such short branches, however, are fully mature, woody and well branched which is a guarantee for profuse flowering the following year. If you prune your hibiscus hard, it may result in larger flowers but also in too long branches that will need to be trimmed again next year, and on and on. The only cut I suggest is when you need to reduce size of an old specimen.
Rose-of-Sharon is quite adaptable of soil type. It likes sufficient moisture and if you make sure the plant is not put to standing water at the beginning it will be happy for occasional flooding in summer. Older plants dislike peat. Selective fertilizers for better flowering are convenient. Place it in full sun only. Fully hardy to min. -27°C (USDA zone 5).
Last update 23-03-2017
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