| Have a outside hibiscus. How should I prune and when? Its flowers are dark and pale pink. Its about 5` tall and has been there a number of years I believe. We bought the house last year. |
| Hibiscus syriacus, commonly known as Rose of Sharon, althea or hardy hibiscus, is a shrub that is treasured by most, and neglected by many. You'll often see large altheas near homes that may not have been taken care of in years, but it will be blooming as if it was given much time and attention. That is a sign of a hardy, easy to grow shrub! Rose of Sharon blooms later in the summer than most shrubs, and continues through until mid-autumn. The size of the blooms depend on how you decide to prune it. If it's left to it's own with just an occasional pruning it will have many small blooms, which are lovely and fill the entire shrub during it's peak. But, a good pruning each spring will keep it more controlled and it will tend to produce less flowers, but they will be much larger. Whatever habit you decide to go with, hardy hibiscus prefers full sun and a good soil that is not too dry, or too wet. Average soil in mostly full sun will be ideal. Most varieties will eventually grow to 8-10 tall and about 5 foot wide, depending on pruning. Rose of Sharon is hardy to about -20 when mature. Hope this answers your question! |
