DOCSLIB.ORG

Althea (Rose of Sharon)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Althea (Rose of Sharon) Common Name: Althea (Rose of Sharon) Scientific Name: Hibiscus syriacus Order: Malvales Family: Malvaceae Description Althea is a deciduous plant. It has a summer flowering period in which it bears pleasing hollyhock flowers well into the fall. This is a vigorous, upright growing deciduous vase-shaped shrub which can be either left to grow in multi-stemmed shape or thinned to a single stem small tree. Leaves are 3-lobed, medium green in color with a coarse texture. From early summer through the fall it bears very showy hollyhock-like-petaled flowers which can be 3” in diameter. Flowers vary in color but are often pink with red centers. A notable white stamen forms in the center of the flower. Growth Habit Althea is an easy-to-grow shrub. It grows with a height increase of 13-24” per year. The growth rate ranges from slow to moderate, and transplanting is easy. Hardiness Zone(s) Althea grows in U.S Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 5 (UK) but is also able to grow in the zones 5b-9a, as well as higher zones where temperatures are not extreme. Culture Althea can grow and survive in full sun, partial sun, or even partial shade. It has certain soil tolerances and soils can vary from sand, loam, clay; acidic; occasionally wet; well-drained. It also has a moderate tolerance to drought. It can grow in suitable pH; the range that is tolerated by the althea varies from 3.7-7.3. Prune the althea in late winter or early spring to promote the new growth and maintain larger flower size. Make cuts above a bud on the branch. Remove about one-third of the wood each year, concentrating on older growth. Cut dead or diseased branches will come back to the base of the shrub. There is a very low pruning rate required for the althea to receive. Frequent severe pruning causes the flowers to be bigger, while little to no pruning causes much smaller flowers. The reason for the low pruning requirement is because the plant itself grows so slowly. There is no real specific time that for someone to prune the althea which makes pruning very simple for this plant. Diseases & Insects Although usually strong and easy to grow, althea can be bothered by aphids which accumulate at the tips of the stems, causing new growth to be misshapen. Aphids may cover the leaves with sticky honeydew. The insects can be dislodged with high pressure water sprays from the garden hose or controlled by pinching off the part of the twig with the insects. Over-fertilizing increases aphid infestations. Canker is a disease that can kill branches or entire plants. Bright, reddish- orange fruiting bodies may appear on the bark. Need to prune out infected branches. Flowers may be infected with a blight caused by a fungus. Bud drop can be caused by too much or too little water or over fertilization. Landscape Value Althea is used for many things. It is used for just a container or planter. It is very easy to fit in your house because of the tightness of its structure. It doesn’t take up a whole lot of room at all. It goes beautifully on a deck or patio and is a very fashionable plant. It even has some religious value in it. If enough specimens are available, the owner could use the group of althea as a fence or border between them and the neighboring yard. There are many different colored althea plants available on the market that pose as a beautiful decoration the house or outside where everyone can see. There are many different cultivars that have different colors to each. The colors are as followed red, pink, white, and purple. All of which are very spring and upbeat colors for a person’s yard and can really brighten things up inside of someone’s living area. References Gilman, E. F. and D. G. Watson. 2014. Hibiscus syriacus: Rose-of-Sharon. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Online. <https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st295> Accessed 21 April 2015. Niemiera, A. X. 2009. Rose of Sharon, Shrub Althea. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech University, Virginia State University. Online. <https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2901/2901- 1066/2901-1066.html> Accessed 21 April 2015. PNW Plants. 2015. Rose of Sharon. Washington State University Clark County Extension, Brush Prairie, WA. Online. <http://www.pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=160> Accessed 21 April 2015. This document was authored by Kody Brown, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, April 2015. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Montgomery County Landscape Plant List
    9020 Airport Road Conroe, TX 77303 (936) 539-7824 MONTGOMERY COUNTY LANDSCAPE PLANT LIST Scientific Name Common Name Size Habit Light Water Native Wildlife Comments PERENNIALS Abelmoschus ‘Oriental Red’ Hibiscus, Oriental Red 3 x 3 D F L N Root hardy, reseeds Abutilon sp. Flowering Maple Var D F M N Acalypha pendula Firetail Chenille 8" x 8" E P H N Acanthus mollis Bear's Breeches 3 x 3 D S M N Root hardy Acorus gramineus Sweet Flag 1 x 1 E P M N Achillea millefolium var. rosea Yarrow, Pink 2 x 2 E F/P M N BF Butterfly nectar plant Adiantum capillus-veneris Fern, Maidenhair 1 x 1 E P/S H Y Dormant when dry Adiantum hispidulum Fern, Rosy Maidenhair 1 x 1 D S H N Agapanthus africanus Lily of the Nile 2 x 2 E P M N Agastache ‘Black Adder’ Agastache, Black Adder 2 x 2 D F M N BF, HB Butterfly/hummingbird nectar plant Ageratina havanensis Mistflower, Fragrant 3 x 3 D F/P L Y BF Can take poor drainage Ageratina wrightii Mistflower, White 2 x 2 D F/P L Y BF Butterfly nectar plant Ajuga reptans Bugle Flower 6" x 6" E P/S M N Alocasia sp. Taro Var D P M N Aggressive in wet areas Aloysia virgata Almond Verbena 8 x 5 D S L N BF Very fragrant, nectar plant Alpinia sp. Gingers, Shell 6 x 6 E F/P M N Amsonia tabernaemontana Texas Blue Star 3 x 3 D P M Y Can take poor drainage Andropogon gerardii Bluestem, Big 3 to 8 D F/P L Y Andropogon glomeratus Bluestem, Brushy 2 to 5 D F/P L Y Andropogon ternarius Bluestem, Splitbeard 1 to 4 D F/P L Y Anisacanthus wrightii Flame Acanthus 3 x 3 D F L Y HB Hummingbird nectar plant Aquilegia chrysantha Columbine, Yellow 2 x 1 E P/S M Y Dormant when dry, reseeds Aquilegia canadensis Columbine, Red 1 x 1 E P/S M Y Dormant when dry, reseeds Ardisia crenata Ardisia 1 x 1 E P/S M N Ardisia japonica Ardisia 2 x 2 E P/S M N Artemisia sp.
    [Show full text]
  • 15. HIBISCUS Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 693. 1753, Nom. Cons
    Flora of China 12: 286–294. 2007. 15. HIBISCUS Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 693. 1753, nom. cons. 木槿属 mu jin shu Bombycidendron Zollinger & Moritzi; Fioria Mattei; Furcaria (Candolle) Kosteletzky (1836), not Desvaux (1827); Hibiscus sect. Furcaria Candolle; H. sect. Sabdariffa Candolle; Ketmia Miller; Sabdariffa (Candolle) Kosteletzky; Solandra Murray (1785), not Linnaeus (1759), nor Swartz (1787), nom. cons.; Talipariti Fryxell. Shrubs, subshrubs, trees, or herbs. Leaf blade palmately lobed or entire, basal veins 3 or more. Flowers axillary, usually solitary, sometimes subterminal and ± congested into a terminal raceme, 5-merous, bisexual. Epicalyx lobes 5 to many, free or connate at base, rarely very short (H. schizopetalus) or absent (H. lobatus). Calyx campanulate, rarely shallowly cup-shaped or tubular, 5-lobed or 5-dentate, persistent. Corolla usually large and showy, variously colored, often with dark center; petals adnate at base to staminal tube. Filament tube well developed, apex truncate or 5-dentate; anthers throughout or only on upper half of tube. Ovary 5-loculed or, as a result of false partitions, 10-loculed; ovules 3 to many per locule; style branches 5; stigmas capitate. Fruit a capsule, cylindrical to globose, valves 5, dehiscence loculicidal and sometimes partially septicidal or indehiscent (H. vitifolius Linnaeus). Seeds reniform, hairy or glandular verrucose. About 200 species: tropical and subtropical regions; 25 species (12 endemic, four introduced) in China. According to recent molecular studies (Pfeil et al., Syst. Bot. 27: 333–350. 2002), Hibiscus is paraphyletic, and as more taxa are sampled and a more robust phylogeny is constructed, the genus undoubtedly will be recast. Species of other genera of Hibisceae found in China, such as Abelmoschus, Malvaviscus, and Urena, fall within a monophyletic Hibiscus clade.
    [Show full text]
  • 1.6 Parasitoids of Giant Whitefly
    UC Riverside UC Riverside Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Life Histories and Host Interaction Dynamics of Parasitoids Used for Biological Control of Giant Whitefly (Aleurodicus dugesii) Cockerell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8020w7rd Author Schoeller, Erich Nicholas Publication Date 2018 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE Life Histories and Host Interaction Dynamics of Parasitoids Used for Biological Control of Giant Whitefly (Aleurodicus dugesii) Cockerell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology by Erich Nicholas Schoeller March 2018 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Richard Redak, Chairperson Dr. Timothy Paine. Dr. Matthew Daugherty Copyright by Erich Nicholas Schoeller 2018 The Dissertation of Erich Nicholas Schoeller is approved: Committee Chairperson University of California, Riverside Acknowledgements This dissertation was made possible with the kind support and help of many individuals. I would like to thank my advisors Drs. Richard Redak, Timothy Paine, and Matthew Daugherty for their wisdom and guidance. Their insightful comments and questions helped me become a better scientist and facilitated the development of quality research. I would particularly like to thank Dr. Redak for his endless patience and unwavering support throughout my degree. I wish to also thank Tom Prentice and Rebeccah Waterworth for their support and companionship. Their presence in the Redak Lab made my time there much more enjoyable. I would like to thank all of the property owners who kindly allowed me to work on their lands over the years, as well as the many undergraduate interns who helped me collect and analyze data from the experiments in this dissertation.
    [Show full text]
  • Hibiscus Syriacus Rose-Of-Sharon1 Edward F
    Fact Sheet ST-295 November 1993 Hibiscus syriacus Rose-of-Sharon1 Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson2 INTRODUCTION Rose-of-Sharon is valued for large flowers produced in summer when few other shrubs bloom (Fig. 1). It is useful as a garden accent due to its strict, upright habit. The open, loose branches and light green leaves make Rose-of-Sharon ideally suited to formal or informal plantings, and with a little pruning makes an attractive, small specimen tree. The plant grows in sun or partial shade and in any soil. Rose-of-Sharon grows 8 to 10 feet tall and spreads 4 to 10 feet. The growth rate ranges from slow to moderate, and transplanting is easy. Several roots are usually located just beneath the soil surface. GENERAL INFORMATION Scientific name: Hibiscus syriacus Pronunciation: high-BISS-kuss seer-ee-AY-kuss Common name(s): Rose-of-Sharon, Shrub-Althea Family: Malvaceae USDA hardiness zones: 5B through 9A (Fig. 2) Origin: not native to North America Uses: container or above-ground planter; near a deck or patio; trainable as a standard; specimen; no proven Figure 1. Middle-aged Rose-of-Sharon. urban tolerance Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range or less identical crown forms Crown shape: upright DESCRIPTION Crown density: open Growth rate: slow Height: 8 to 12 feet Texture: fine Spread: 4 to 10 feet Crown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more 1. This document is adapted from Fact Sheet ST-295, a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.
    [Show full text]
  • Review and Advances in Style Curvature for the Malvaceae Cheng-Jiang Ruan*
    ® International Journal of Plant Developmental Biology ©2010 Global Science Books Review and Advances in Style Curvature for the Malvaceae Cheng-Jiang Ruan* Key Laboratory of Biotechnology & Bio-Resources Utilization, Dalian Nationalities University, Dalian City, Liaoning 116600, China Correspondence : * ruancj@yahoo.com.cn ABSTRACT The flowers of the Malvaceae with varying levels of herkogamy via style curvature have long intrigued evolutionary botanists. This review covers the flower opening process, approach herkogamy, style curvature and character evolution based on molecular phylogenetic trees, adaptive significances of style curvature and the mating system in some portions of the genera in this family. Hermaphroditic flowers of some species have showy petals and pollen and nectar rewards to pollinators. Approach herkogamy, in which stigmas are located on the top of a monadelphous stamen, has evolved as a mechanism to reduce the frequency of intra-floral self-pollination or the interference between male-female organs. Protandrous or monochogamous flowers in the fields open at about 5-7 days and 1-2 days respectively, and pollination is conducted by insects and birds. Interestingly, un-pollinated styles in some species curve when pollination fails. According to our observations and published or internet data, this curvature occurs in 23 species distributed in eight genera of four tribes (Malvavisceae, Ureneae, Hibisceae, Malveae) and appears to have evolved at least eight times. A shift to use style curvature is associated with a shift to annual or perennial herbs, and an unpredictable pollinator environment is likely an important trigger for this evolution. The adaptive significances of style curvature in the Malvaceae include delayed selfing, promotion of outcrossing or reduction in intrafloral male-female interference, sometimes two or three of which simultaneously occur in style curvature of one species (e.g., Kosteletzkya virginica).
    [Show full text]
  • Hibiscus Syriacus Althea, Rose of Sharon
    Hibiscus syriacus Althea, Rose of Sharon Plant Type Deciduous Size 8-12’ high and 6-10’ wide Form Upright shrub, small tree Texture Medium Foliage Alternate, simple, coarse teeth, 2-4” long, 3 lobes, egg to diamond shaped, medium to dark green upper and lighter beneath, rounded at the base, palmately veined, petiole ¼-3/4” Stem Gray, rounded Bark Gray Buds Not visible Flowers and Fruit 5 petals, white, red, purple, violet shades, 2- 4” single or double on new growth, June to September. Fruit is a ¾” brown capsule, persisting into winter Fall Color Yellow Exposure Sun to part shade Soil Moist, well drained, pH. 5.0-6.5 Growth Rate Medium Hardiness 5-8 Uses Groupings, masses, mixed shrub border, good for late summer flowering Maintenance Leaf spots, cankers, aphis, Japanese beetle, whitefly. Prune in early spring. Provide plants with medium fertility. Plants are tough durable and heat and drought tolerant Cultivars ‘Amplissimus’- double red flowered form ‘Aphrodite’- dark pink flowers with red eye, 4-5” across ‘Blue Chiffon’- light blue double flowers, 3-4” across ‘Blushing Bride’- nice pink flowers ‘Colle Mullens’- purple-lavender double ‘Diana’- large white flowers ‘Helene’- flowers are white, reddish purple at the base ‘Jeanne D’Arc’- white double flowers ‘Lucy’- double red flowers ‘Minerva’- lavender flowers with a dark red eye, 4-5” across ‘Purple Pillar’- 2-3’ wide columnar, 10-15’ tall, purple flowers ‘Red Heart’- white flowers with a red eye ‘Woodbridge’- rose pink with a red eye Many more cultivars Notes: © 2018 National Association of Landscape Professionals .
    [Show full text]
  • Chemical Constituents, Pharmacological Effects and Therapeutic Importance of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis- a Review
    IOSR Journal Of Pharmacy www.iosrphr.org (e)-ISSN: 2250-3013, (p)-ISSN: 2319-4219 Volume 8, Issue 7 Version. II (July 2018), PP. 101-119 Chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and therapeutic importance of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis- A review Prof Dr Ali Esmail Al-Snafi Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Thi qar, Iraq. Abstract: The phytochemical analysis showed that Hibiscus rosa-sinensis contained tannins, anthraquinones, quinines, phenols, flavanoides, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, protein, free amino acids, carbohydrates, reducing sugars, mucilage, essential oils and steroids. The previous pharmacological studies revealed that Hibiscus rosa-sinensis possessed reproductive, antidiabetic, fibrinolytic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, immuno-modulatory, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, memory enhancement, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, dermatological, anti-haemolytic, urinary, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antitussive and many other effects. The current review will discuss the chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and therapeutic importance of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Keywords: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, chemical constituents, pharmacology, therapeutic, side effects. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Date of Submission: 12-07-2018 Date of acceptance: 28-07-2018 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    [Show full text]
  • 2020-Skinner-Garden-Guide-Shrubs
    SHRUBS ‘Lil’ Kim Violet’ (‘SHIMRV24’)—This addition ‘Mandarin Lights’—Brilliant, mandarin- ABELIA to Lil’ Kim series has the same nice dwarf, orange colored fl owers. Glossy Abelia compact habit as the others but with plum- (Abelia x grandifl ora)—Broadleaf evergreen violet fl owers. Height 3-4’, spread 3-4’. BARBERRY shrub with glossy, dark green foliage. White, NEW!—’Peppermint’ (‘DS04PS’)—Double, two- fragrant fl owers emerge late in the summer and toned light pink and fuchsia fl owers. A heavy Bagatelle Barberry continue on until frost. Comes through the winter bloomer that keeps going all season. Height (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea best in protected locations. May freeze back in 8-12’, spread 6-10’. ‘Bagatelle’)—This is a great little selection, similar hard winters. Height. 2-3’, spread 2-3’. NEW!—’Tahiti(‘Mineru’)—Deep pink-purple, to Crimson Pygmy but with smaller leaves and a semi-double flowers with a deep red center. tighter, more compact growth habit. Height 12-18", Height 5-8’, spread 4-7’. spread 18-24". ALMOND ‘Raspberry Smoothie’—A heavy bloomer NEW!—Double Pink Flowering Almond with beautiful double, fuchsia-raspberry Bonanza Gold Barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Bogozam’)—A dwarf (Prunus glandulosa ‘Rosea Plena’)—Very fl owers. popular shrub with an outstanding fl oral Barberry with outstanding bright golden-yellow display early in the spring. Literally covered AZALEA foliage. Low maintenance plant which forms a with wonderful, double-pink blossoms. Plant small dense mound. Height 18-24", spread 2-3’. in well-drained soils and give it plenty of Azaleas can be quite successful if attention is sunshine.
    [Show full text]
  • Hibiscus Syriacus
    Hibiscus syriacus - Rose-of-Sharon or Shrub Althea (Malvaceae) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hibiscus syriacus is a shrub with large showy flowers naturalized or neglected areas in single- or double-flowering form. Rose-of-Sharon Twigs has flowers with solid colors or bicolors that bloom -thin and gray, white-lenticeled, with raised leaf scars all summer long and has a distinctive vase-shaped and small buds growth habit. -stems and branches do not branch very much unless pruned, resulting in many long, straight stems that FEATURES originate from about 0.5-1.5' above the ground that Form give rise to the overall vased shape -medium-sized ornamental shrub Trunk (can also be limbed up into small -white-gray and relatively smooth, branching very tree form) near to the ground unless limbed up into tree form -maturing at about 8' tall x 4' wide USAGE -upright vased growth habit, often Function becoming arching with age if -specimen, foundation, entranceway, row, or border never pruned shrub, or planted as a formal or informal hedge -medium growth rate -occasionally limbed up into small tree form Culture Texture -full sun to partial shade -medium texture in foliage and when bare -prefers moist, well-drained soils supplemented with -average density in foliage and when bare organic matter in full sun, but is very adaptable to Assets various soils, soil pHs, soil compaction, drought, -showy flowers bloom throughout the entire summer heavy pruning, and pollution (and
    [Show full text]
  • Hibiscus Syriacus 'Diana'
    Hibiscus syriacus ‘Diana’ The U.S. National Arboretum presents Hibiscus syriacus ‘Diana’, a rose-of-sharon introduction with a flower as lovely as the Greek goddess for which it is named. Beautiful, large, pure-white flowers produce little seed. Thus, ‘Diana’ will bloom continuously from late June until frost. This amazing shrub selection has excellent, dark green, pollution-resistant foliage. It tolerates extreme heat, drought, and poor soil, but will grow best in soil with moderate fertility and moisture. Recipient of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Plant Award in 1991. U.S. National Arboretum Plant Introduction Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit U.S. National Arboretum, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 3501 New York Ave. NE., Washington, DC 20002 ‘Diana’ rose-of-Sharon Botanical name: Hibiscus syriacus L. ‘Diana’ (NA 32225; PI 347257) Family: Malvaceae Hardiness: USDA Zones 5–8 Development: ‘Diana’ resulted from the cross of a polyploid Hibiscus syriacus seedling with white petals and red eye with a heavily ruffled, white seedling with the standard chromosome number. Originally, the polyploid parent was presumed to be tetraploid and the other parent diploid, resulting in sterile triploid offspring, but it is now understood that the polyploid parent was octoploid and the parent with typical chromosome numbers was tetraploid, resulting in hexaploid offspring. The cross was made by Dr Donald Egolf at the U.S. National Arboretum in 1963. The cultivar first flowered in 1964 and was named and released in 1970. Significance: ‘Diana’ is distinct because of its waxy, heavy-textured, wide-spreading, ruffled, pure white flowers that remain open for more than one day, as well as for its heavy, dark green leaves, its dense branching, and its upright growth habit.
    [Show full text]
  • UPLC-ESI-MS/MS Profile and Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Antidiabetic, and Antiobesity Activities of the Aqueous Extracts of Three Different Hibiscus Species
    Hindawi Journal of Chemistry Volume 2020, Article ID 6749176, 17 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6749176 Research Article UPLC-ESI-MS/MS Profile and Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Antidiabetic, and Antiobesity Activities of the Aqueous Extracts of Three Different Hibiscus Species Hanan M. Al-Yousef ,1 Wafaa H. B. Hassan,2 Sahar Abdelaziz,2 Musarat Amina ,1 Rasha Adel,2 and May A. El-Sayed2 1Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt Correspondence should be addressed to Hanan M. Al-Yousef; halyousef@ksu.edu.sa Received 8 February 2020; Revised 20 May 2020; Accepted 3 June 2020; Published 25 June 2020 Academic Editor: Casimiro Mantell Copyright © 2020 Hanan M. Al-Yousef et al. )is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. )e aqueous extracts of Hibiscus calyphyllus (HcA), Hibiscus micranthus (HmA), and Hibiscus deflersii (HdA) growing in Saudi Arabia did not receive enough attention in phytochemical and biological studies. )is inspired the authors to investigate the phytochemicals of these extracts for the first time using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS in negative and positive ionization modes. )e analysis afforded the tentative identification of 103 compounds including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Moreover, in vitro evaluations of their cytotoxic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antiobesity activities were carried out. )e results showed that aqueous extract of Hibiscus calyphyllus had the highest activity as an antioxidant agent (SC50 = 111 ± 1.5 μg/mL) compared with ascorbic acid (SC50 = 14.2 ± 0.5 μg/mL).
    [Show full text]
  • Rose of Sharon Hibiscus Syriacus L
    Weed of the Week Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus L. Common Names: rose of Sharon, althea, althea rose, shrub althea, shrubby Althea, Syrian rose Native Origin: eastern Asia- China to India; introduced as an ornamental and often used as hedging Description: A deciduous, multi-stemmed, erect-growing, densely branched shrub in the Mallow family (Malvaceae) reaching up to 10 feet in height with a pyramidal crown. Light gray-brown stems have raised leaf scars, hairy stiplues and small buds. Ovate green leaves are 2 to 3 inches long, palmately veined from the base, alternate, simple, coarsely serrated and often three-lobed. Showy, 5-petaled flowers range from white to reddish-purple, 3 to 4 inches across, and bloom during the summer months. The flowers are perfect (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects and hummingbirds. Brown seeds develop in an ovate, pointed, dry capsule, 3/4 inch long and wide, ripening in late summer and fall. This prolific seeder has a deep taproot that is difficult to remove once the plant is 2-3 years old. It reproduces primarily by seed. Habitat: It grows in full sun to light shade and invades waste areas, disturbed ground, forest, and forest edges. It prefers a well-drained humus rich fertile soil within USDA zones 5-10. Distribution: This species is reported from states shaded on Plants Database map. It is reported invasive in KY, PA, TN, and VA. Ecological Impacts: It has escaped intended plantings to invade, crowd out and displace more desirable native plants. Control and Management: • Manual- Manage height and size by trimming or cutting; remove entire plants by digging up entire root system • Chemical- It can be effectively controlled using any of several readily available general use herbicides such as glyphosate.
    [Show full text]