A favorite of pollinators, especially hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, these beauties are very low maintenance.
By Teresa Wither
And there she is! Her name is Althea, and she is the goddess of my summer garden. She surprised me early this morning as I tried to beat this impossible heat to get everyone a little drink of water to make it through another hot and humid day.
Some of you may recognize her as Rose of Sharon, rose mallow, or hardy hibiscus. She is one of the first signs that summer is here. Althea is a friend to most gardeners and is very low maintenance. Just give her a spot with good drainage, at least 4 hours of direct unfiltered sunlight, and a drink of water once or twice a week.
This beauty was planted about 10 years ago and is about 6 feet tall and wide. The Rose of Sharon is hardy in zones 5-9. It can take poor soil, heat, humidity, and drought. She has a 20–30-year lifespan, and I am very thankful she made it through our December freeze!
A favorite of pollinators, especially hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, they also attract aphids and white flies. An extra squirt with the water hose usually helps to control that.
Propagation is done by stem cutting or seed harvesting. Winterize with a deep mulch of leaves after the ground has frozen. She blooms on the current season’s growth, so prune in late winter. Feed in the early spring with a potassium-rich fertilizer.
The flowers come in white, red, pink, lavender, and blue. These make beautiful cut arrangements!
Teresa Withers, a Garland County Master Gardener, volunteers with GC Master Gardeners of the UofA Div. of Agriculture, Cooperative Ext. Service. Master Gardeners pool skills and resources to improve home horticulture, stimulate interest in plants and gardening, and encourage beautification. For more info, call 501-623-6841 or email abates@uaex.edu.
