Helene Rose of Sharon

Just like wine splashed onto pure white snow, the Helene Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus 'Helene') is a brilliantly showy flowering ornamental with contrasting blooms that catch the eye. Forming a tidy, elegantly-branched upright shrub, the green foliage is the perfect foil for the large saucer-shaped flowers that bloom from July until frost!

Its flowers are single, pure white, with a wine-red center that feathers out into the white like a bullseye for pollinators and Hummingbirds to come sip nectar and gather pollen! Growing to an easy-to-manage 8 - 12 feet in height and mature width of 6 - 10 feet, these larger shrubs can easily be pruned smaller as needed to fit your garden! Or try to 'limb up' your shrub and expose the multi-trunked lower stems to create a unique tree-form specimen!

This Xeriscape plant is a vigorous, upright, vase-shaped, deciduous shrub! Hardy throughout USA growing zones 5 to 8, this waxy dark-green, foliage plant is valuable as a specimen plant. It tolerates poor soils and some drought, is very tolerant of summer heat and humidity, and is generally tolerant of urban conditions. Low maintenance Helene has no serious insect or disease problems - so it's perfect for the beginner gardener or as a gift plant!

Planting and Application:

Helene is so easy to grow and vigorous that she's perfect when used en masse! Create swaths of low-maintenance sun-loving mass plantings and swaths of color! Use in rows to create garden rooms, define your garden areas and property, as low hedges for privacy, or as backdrops to other garden beds! Set off perennial and cottage gardens, walkways, and paths, or line a driveway for ultimate screening from the neighbors or the street with Helene Althea!

The showy blooms are fantastic on their own when used as a specimen! Anchor garden beds with a big late-season bloomer, soften the corner with a Helene as a foundation plant, or fill a big gap in a mixed shrub border! Then watch as the pollinators arrive in droves!

• Snowy White Petals & Wine-Red Streaked Eyes
• Lovely Deep Green Foliage
• Butterfly, Bee & Hummingbird-Magnet
• Easy to Grow & Low-Maintenance
• En Masse, Hedges, Privacy & Specimens!

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Woody Hibiscus are slower to emerge in the spring but quickly grow to an impressive full height once they do. Helene is easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade, but its best flowering occurs in full sun. Altheas performs well in almost any soil, except if it's too dry or too wet, but provide moderate consistent moisture for new plants while they get their roots established. Rose of Sharon loves sunshine! 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. Use a 3 to 4-inch layer of arborist mulch over the top of the root system to keep them nice and cool.

This pretty shrub blooms on new wood, so Prune Althea in early spring to either shape or control the height. You'll have flowers later that season, no matter how tightly you trim them in spring. You can even train these shrubs into multi or single-stemmed tree forms! Renewal prune every 3-5 years to maintain vigor. Apply a slow-release fertilizer designed for flowering plants at the same time. Follow application rates on the label.

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 to Low Moisture & Any Well-Drained Soil
• Rugged, Cold Hardy & Heat Tolerant
• Vigorous & Very Low Maintenance
• Deer Resistant & Seaside/Salt Tolerant

Don't hesitate to pick up a Helene Rose of Sharon for your butterfly garden or a friend today from Nature Hills Nursery for a sure-fire, easy-care pick-me-up with outstanding showy blooms!