Growth form: Rose of Sharon is a deciduous, upright spreading shrub or small tree, typically 8 to 12 feet tall.
Leaves, twigs, and bark: Leaves of Rose of Sharon are simple, alternate, and entire, typically 2 to 4 inches long, with pinnate/palmate venation and ovate or rhomboid shape. In fall, leaves have no color change they stay green. Twigs are gray, thin and medium. The bark is dark grayish-brown, branches are droopy but not showy and has little pruning required.
Leaves of Rose of Sharon #615, showing opposite leaf arrangement, (Photos by R. Afiriyie 10/24/2019)
Flowers: Rose of Sharon blooms in the summer, Flowers are come in white, pink, violet, blue and other colors. They open through the day and close up at night. about 2-4 inches long and trumpet shaped.
Leaves of Rose of Sharon #616 (Photo by Rose Afiriyie)
Fruits: Fruit shape is irregular and each fruit is less than an inch long with dry and hard covering. The fruits does not attract the wildlife and they are not showy.
Fruit formation of Rose of Sharon (Photo by JChris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org)
Native range and habitat: Rose of Sharon shrubs is non-native was introduced. It is persistent after cultivation and it is scattered through out. It spreads by rhizomes around forests and homesites. It can be also invasive in some places.
Distribution of Rose of Sharon across Virginia counties (VA Botanical Associates, 2019)
Plant Family: Rose of Sharon is part of the family Malvaceae which is the hibiscus or mallow family. It is native to eastern Asia but planted world wide for its showy flowers. It contains about 244 genera with 4225 known species. Cotton, okra, linden, durian are apart of this family.
Ecologic Importance and Uses:
Edible and Medicinal Uses: Rose of Sharon leaves are in fact edible and said to taste like lettuce. You can also use both the leaves and flowers to make tea for the health benefits.
Wildlife: Rose of Sharon fruits are not attracted to wildlife and there is no litter problem.
Gardens and Landscaping: Rose of Sharon can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 5B to 9. It is useful in the garden for it's strict up tight behavior. It requires moisture to flower the best despite the ability to tolerate poor soils.
Campus Specimens - Rose of Sharon
State and national champions? There is currently no national championship for Rose of Sharon. The Virginia state champion Rose of Sharon is located in Gloucester, VA, and has a circumference of 33 inches, height of 22 feet, and crown spread of 36 feet, for a total of 64 points.
At Radford University, four Rose of Sharon shrubs can be found on campus (highlighted circle below). All are behind the building of Norwood Hall near the parking lot.
Tree #616
Notes: This shrub was at the back of Norwood Hall.
Tree #615
Trunk circumference: 15.0 inches
Tree height: 12.0 feet
Crown spread: 12.0 feet x 6.1 feet Average crown spread = 9.1 feet
Total points: 29.3 feet
Notes: This is a small shrub also located behind Norwood Hall.
Tree #614
Trunk circumference: 12.0 inches
Tree height: 11.8 feet
Crown spread: 15.0 feet x 8.1 feet Average crown spread = 11.6 feet
Total points: 26.6
Notes: This is a fairly small shrub and it's located behind Norwood Hall.
References
Elpel, T. J. (2018). Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification, Edition 6.1. Hops Press, Pony, MT.