Freedom Rose of Sharon

The free-flowering Freedom Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus 'Freedom') is a deciduous shrub with amazing ornamental appeal! Also known as Althea, and related to Hardy Hibiscus and Tropical Hibiscus, Freedom is an old-fashioned favorite in a newer, improved form! Freedom doesn't mind pollution, so can do well even in urban environments! It has no significant pest or disease issues, and overall, Freedom is an easy-to-care-for plant with a hardy, productive nature!

Beginning in summer, and persisting into the fall, Freedom produces luminous pink double-blooms that are large in size and immense in beauty. The lustrous, dark green leaves are the perfect accent for the bright flowers, and help your Freedom maintain a full, vibrant appearance all season long!

It has an upright, spreading nature and can be expected to live up to 40 years (under optimal conditions). It's not fussy about soil types, are xeric once established, and thrives even in poor soils and drought conditions. Growing throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 8, these ornamental deciduous shrubs grow 6 - 8 feet in height and spread to about 4 - 5 feet wide.

Planting and Application:

Plant a Freedom Rose of Sharon as a specimen plant in a front or side yard where you're sure to catch its radiant bloom! One would look lovely by your front steps leading to your entry, or softening the corner of an outbuilding or your home's foundation! Plus, beginner and experienced gardeners can both have the same effect in their gardens!

Space-saving smaller shrubs with late-season color are fantastic for both smaller courtyards and en masse where their low-maintenance nature really shines! Spruce up a cottage garden or perennial border with foliage that sets off every other plant around it! Don't worry about deer, they seldom mess with these plants, however, every bee, butterfly, beneficial insect, and even a few hummingbirds will stop by for the ample nectar and pollen these flouncy blooms hold!

Rose of Sharon are must-have shrubs for the pollinator garden and for low screening around seating areas, the soft and soothing pink flowers add a cool and calming effect to Meditation gardens and sunny hot porches and patios alike!

With a bit of pruning and training, Freedom works great in containers and planters! Balcony and container gardeners can enjoy Freedom anywhere in the sun! Or train them into small, multi-trunked trees by removing the lower branching to expose their trunks. These easy-care shrubs are fantastic gift plants that just exude style!

• Radiant Antique Pink Blooms Summer to Fall
• Dark Green Leathery Foliage
• Upright Vigorous Rounded Form
• Bee & Butterfly Magnets & Hummingbird-Friendly!
• Mid-Sized Hedges, Screening, Accents & Specimens!

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Altheas performs well in almost any soil and even tolerates alkaline and poor soil as long as it is well-drained. Rose of Sharon loves sunshine, so plant it in a spot where they will get at least six hours of sunlight a day. Provide a moderate amount of water on a regular basis, especially for young plants, but once established, Rose of Sharon can be fairly drought resistant. Use a three-inch layer of arborist mulch over the top of the root system to keep them nice and cool.

Blooming on new wood, only Prune Althea in the late winter or early spring to shape or control the height. You'll have flowers later that season, no matter how tightly you trim them in when done at the right time. You can even train these shrubs into multi-stemmed tree forms! Renewal prune every 3-5 years to maintain vigor. Apply a slow-release fertilizer designed for flowering plants in the early spring.

Modern Rose of Sharon actually has reduced seed production, making this plant nearly sterile. Use anywhere in your yard without worrying about nuisance seedlings. In some areas, these seeds can sprout, so Nature Hills employs Plant Sentry™ to ensure these plants won't ship into areas where they can become a problem.

• Full Sun
• Moderate Moisture & Enriched Well-Drained Soil
• Rugged, Cold Hardy & Heat Tolerant
• Vigorous & Very Low Maintenance
• Deer Resistant & Seaside/Salt Tolerant

For a prolific old-fashioned Althea with beautiful flowers from summer through fall, and a hardy nature...look no further than Freedom Rose of Sharon from Nature Hills Nursery today!