A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Rose of Sharon suggestions please

Ok so I started some ROS a while ago and even tho they are still small they are growing. I read it is pretty much a bush, but that it takes a while for the leaves to grow out and sometimes looks dead until summer. My question is, where should I transplant them to. Are they as bad as I've read and shouldn't be put it in my front yard or is that just an exageration? Oh and how wide do they grow? just so I know how far away from the sidewalk I should plant them in case I do put them up front. Thanks

If you are going to put it in your front yard plant it about 5' back from the sidewalk. They grow about to about 5' x 5' tall. But you can control both by prunning after it flowers.

I have seen some people prune them into a standard. With a smooth trunk 5' and the top flowering only, also, shaped like a topiary with a ball type shape at the top.

The only bad I have heard is people say they seed all over the yard. Which they do. But the newer hybrids do not seed as much as the old variety I have. The good thing is if they seed in the grass areas you will be mowing them down and they are easy to pull up.

Yes it does take them awhile to wake up and look alive.

I have a large amount of them, all over my yard.. not sure which variety, but they do seed very very easily..I've been forced to "weed out" areas becasue there arre just so many of them... :lol"

They are, once developed, a nice looking shrub, they can become very full..

The trick is to trim them good! dead head once the blooms start to fade, not only will it save you from weeding in spring, but it will give you more blooms!

Thanks for info/advice. At this point I am trying to put in as much landscaping this spring/summer as possible. I want to rent the house out in the fall to move to Ontario. I thought these would look pretty nice anywhere really.

Cinta - I was just looking at your picture album and LOVE the Aeonium Arboreum! Also love the picture of the daylilies and coneflowers. I planted a mass of lilies last fall and a few coneflowers with them - I hope they turn out as good as that picture!

I also have about 9 rose of Sharon that I started from seed that are about 10 inches tall right now and excited to get them planted!

Thank you Patty. My style of gardening is pack it in so I do not have to weed. I have so many flowers under the ROS that they have a hard time getting space to grow. LOL