Scientific name: Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’
Synonym: H. s. ‘Oiseau Bleu’
Family: MALVACEAE
Common names: “Rose of Sharon”
Plant Type: Deciduous shrub, can be grown as a small tree
Conditions:
Zone: 5-8
Light: Full sun best – part shade
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Fertile – average, handles clay, doesn’t like acidic soil, prefers organically rich soils
Moisture: Well drained, best with good moisture but can tolerate drought
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 8-12′ W 6-10′
Leaf and Stem shape: Dark green lobed leaves
Flower: Single, violet-blue with a maroon centre, from late summer – autumn
Pruning: Can get a stronger, fuller plant if cut back in spring to a strong bud, can take a hard pruning but it will be slow to return, better to give a light trim if anything
Maintenance: Low, very slow growing, can be trained as a tree
Landscape use: Hedgerow, front garden, espalier, wallside borders, city and courtyard gardens
Propagate: By cuttings, difficult
Pests & Disease: Powdery mildew
*Appears to be deer resistant
Comments: ~AGM winner. Can ID in winter by splotchy looking stems, upright form, and 5 valved seed heads which leave a scar if removed
