First Editions® Summer Ruffle™ Rose of Sharon

Give your garden a touch of the tropics this year with the wonderfully ruffled blooms of hardy First Editions® Summer Ruffle™ Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus 'Aarticus' PP 29,104). From the foliage to the flowers, this shrub is a real eye-catcher!

The blooms on Summer Ruffle™ are somewhere between dark pink and pale lavender with a cherry eye in the middle. They are double-layered with the center layer having a unique 'twisted' appearance that gives them the ruffled look of their name. They are a completely different look for Woody Hibiscus and are sure to stand out in the garden!

And just watch all the Hummingbirds and pollinators arrive in droves to sip nectar and gather pollen all summer long! Best yet, these fabulous blooms keep popping right into autumn without slowing down!

Even when they aren't in bloom they are destined to stand out, though. Summer Ruffle's foliage is a refreshing spring green trimmed in a cool creamy-white edge that gives the whole bush a 'summer' feel. They are the perfect size for summer containers and smaller garden beds and borders. Even if all you have is a balcony, you can grow this easy-care beauty.

Also known as Althea and related to Tropical Hibiscus, these are just as brilliant and easy to grow as their cousins! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9, Summer Ruffle™ grows to a neat and tidy rounded form 3-4 feet in height and width!

Planting and Application:

The variegated foliage is a real visual treat and looks great with gold or dark-green leaved plants as companions. They will make Summer Ruffle™ shine! Use this three-season accent as a specimen throughout the landscape where it can shine in the sun and attract attention in key locations! Foundation plantings and lining pathways, or as backdrops to garden beds and borders are ideal locations to best show off Summer Ruffle's™ best features!

Space-saving smaller shrubs with high-impact color are fantastic for smaller courtyards and en masse where their low-maintenance nature really shines! Spruce up a cottage garden or perennial border with variegated foliage that sets off every other plant! Must-haves 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!

The perfect size for containers and planters, these fantastic gift plants just exude style and ease! Balcony and container gardeners can enjoy Summer Ruffle™ anywhere in the sun! Plus, beginner and experienced gardeners can both have the same effect in their gardens!

• Unique Bubblegum Pink Ruffled Blooms!
• Beautiful Curvy Double Flowers & Variegated Foliage
• Perfectly Sized for Modern Gardens
• Great in Containers & Along Borders
• Hummingbird & Pollinator-Friendly
• Specimens, Borders & Hedges, Full Sun Landscapes

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Altheas performs well in almost any soil, except if it's too dry or too wet. This easy-care plant is a perfect choice, whether you are a beginner or have years of landscaping experience. 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 three-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 Moisture & Enriched Well-Drained Soil
• Rugged, Cold Hardy & Heat Tolerant
• Vigorous & Very Low Maintenance
• Deer Resistant & Seaside/Salt Tolerant
• Produces Very Few, to Any Viable Seeds

Add something new and easy to your landscape this year. Bring a First Editions® Summer Ruffle™ Rose of Sharon home today! Reserve yours at Nature Hills Nursery!