Hibiscus syriacus Woodbridge - Rose of Sharon

The Hibiscus syriacus 'Woodbridge' is a floriferous variety of hibiscus, with good vigour, often planted in gardens. This bush ,with an upright habit, offers single flowers which are coloured bright pink with a red throat. They are fleeting but constantly renew themselves in abundance, from the second part of summer to the beginning of autumn. In a flowering hedge, mass planting, or large container near the house, this hardy bush is easy to grow in ordinary soil and full sun.

Hibiscus syriacus, sometimes called Rose of Sharon or Tree Mallow, is a hardy deciduous shrub, evergreen in warm climates. It belongs to the Malvaceae family, along with hollyhocks and marshmallows. It is native to temperate regions of Asia and has given rise to numerous cultivars, including the 'Woodbridge' variety, which stands out for its upright growth and abundant flowering from August to October.

This is a slow-growing bush, reaching about 2m (6.56ft) in height and 1.50m (4.92 in) in spread and supported by an upright branching. It offers single corollas, 7-8cm (2.76-3.15 in) wide, in very bright pink and red colours, around a large central column of fused white stamens. Many fruits follow the flowers, which can be regularly removed to promote continuous flowering. Its foliage forms a beautiful dark green, slightly glossy background. The leaves are alternate, lobed, ovate to lanceolate, with a toothed and undulate margin, measuring about 10cm (3.9in) long. The foliage appears late in spring and falls in November.

Rose of Sharon has the advantage of flowering abundantly when few other shrubs are in bloom in the garden, in almost all soils and climates. 'Woodbridge' hibiscus prefers bright and warm exposures, and can tolerate light shade in southern regions. This hibiscus requires little maintenance and grows slowly but steadily. Plant it in a location sheltered from strong winds, in soil that remains slightly moist until the end of summer. This excellent and colourful variety can be used as a medium-sized hedge, in combination with other hibiscus of different colours or buddleias and abelias, as well as in isolation or at the back of a perennial bed composed of asters, phlox, daylilies, gauras, or shrubby lavateras, for example.

Tip: In regions with cool and rainy summers, choose single-flowered forms of hibiscus over double-flowered ones, which only thrive with a lot of heat.