Hibiscus syriacus seeds - Rose of Sharon

Hibiscus syriacus is the popular garden hibiscus, cherished for its generous and very long summer flowering. This beautiful bush with an upright habit and rapid growth reaches 2 to 2.50 m in height and bears well-cut, deep green foliage. From early summer, it produces large purple-violet flowers resembling those of delicate tropical Hibiscus, though this species is, in fact, very hardy. The bush thrives in full sun, in most soils except those too clayey or acidic, and requires little maintenance.

Hibiscus belongs to the Malvaceae family, a highly cosmopolitan group that includes wild mallows from our countryside as well as many ornamental plants, such as the lovely Lavateras. The Hibiscus genus comprises around 200 species, both woody and herbaceous, mostly of tropical origin. Hibiscus syriacus is one of the hardiest of all, tolerating cold down to -25°C. Contrary to what its name might suggest, the plant does not originate from Syria but from China and India, where it grows into a large bush exceeding 5 m in height.
In our gardens, it typically reaches no more than 2.50 m, or 3 m for older, unpruned specimens. However, there are so many cultivars with single or double flowers in white, pink, red, purple, violet, or even bicoloured that it is rare to encounter the botanical species offered here. The bush is nonetheless charming, with its deep green foliage composed of trilobed leaves, irregularly toothed, 5 to 10 cm long, and borne on short petioles. The deciduous leaves are smooth and carried on upright shoots, grey when young, then brown. The bush has an upright habit, not exceeding 1 to 1.50 m in width at maturity. Its growth is relatively fast if adequately watered.
Also known as Rose of Sharon or Althea, the garden Hibiscus is remarkable for its highly ornamental and long-lasting flowering. From early July, large single flowers with 5 petals, measuring 6 to 10 cm in diameter, appear. They are solitary and adorn the bush regularly. The numerous stamens are often fused at the base, forming a small fleshy column that appears dusted with gold. The corolla has a lovely purple-violet hue, varying between specimens but always highly decorative. The flowers continue throughout summer until October, provided faded blooms are removed. Of course, they can be left to set seed if you wish to collect and sow them yourself.

Hibiscus syriacus is one of those easy-to-grow plants that richly reward amateur gardeners for minimal effort. Plant it alongside other accommodating spring-flowering plants, such as Van Houtte's Spirea, which from April to June will have delightful and abundant white flowers. For early-season colour, nothing beats  Forsythias, with their incredible yellow blooms defying winter’s last chills.