Cold hardiness

Future

2050

2100

These values are location-based: this location's current hardiness is the baseline, and the 2050 value is a projected future climate for this same location.

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Published baseline for this location from 1991-2020.

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Well-suited

2050

Zone 7a

Plotwright

Projected zone for this same location in 2050 (2041-2070) using SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry).

Well-suited

In plain terms: This location is in Zone 6b today. Its hardiness profile is cold winters, and coldest nights are typically around -3°F. By 2050, the projected hardiness zone is Zone 7a based on SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry). That is a +0.5-zone shift from Zone 6b to Zone 7a by 2050.

✓

Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.

Heat tolerance

Future

2050

2100

Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.

Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 40 ecoregions — 34 climate-resilient through 2070 · 5 suited today · 1 newly possible by 2070. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

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Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

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Arizona Mountains forests

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Blue Mountains forests

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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

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Central Tallgrass prairie

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Central-Southern Cascades Forests

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Colorado Rockies forests

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Cross-Timbers savanna-woodland

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What it needs

Conditions

Light

Full sun / Part shade

Water

Moderate water

Spacing

96"

Habit

Vigorous upright vase-shaped multi-stemmed deciduous shrub

Care tips

•

Site it in full sun for the heaviest bloom; it still flowers in part shade but less.

•

Prune in spring to shape, or cut back to 2-3 buds in late winter for larger (if fewer) flowers.

•

Deadhead or choose sterile cultivars if you want to avoid the species’ aggressive self-seeding.

Lifecycle

Planting

Plant in average, medium-moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade; best flowering occurs in full sun. Prefers moist, organically rich soil but tolerates poor soil and some drought.

Transplanting

Move while dormant; the shrub tolerates a range of soils including clay once established.

Early growth

Water through establishment. Very tolerant of summer heat and humidity and of urban conditions once rooted in.

Maturity

Matures at 8-12 ft tall and 6-10 ft wide. Prune to shape in spring; pruning back to 2-3 buds in late winter may produce larger blooms. Species plants can self-seed aggressively in optimum conditions.

Propagation

Easily propagated by stem cuttings. May be grown from seed, but seedlings may not match the parent flower color.

Pollination

Self-fertile

Showy nectar-and-pollen flowers that the Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder lists as attracting butterflies (and birds); the NC State Plant Toolbox additionally records hummingbirds, general pollinators, and specialized bees. The large central staminal column presents pollen prominently. Species plants self-seed aggressively, indicating reliable seed set.

Plants don't grow alone

Larval host

Butterfly

Painted lady (Vanessa cardui)

Malvaceae (Hibiscus syriacus) genus-level inference; mallow family is a primary V. cardui larval host family, but this species is not specifically documented.

Nectar forage

Bird

Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

The NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox lists Hibiscus syriacus as attracting hummingbirds; its large open nectar-bearing flowers are a documented summer nectar source.

Pollen forage

Bee

Common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens)

The Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder and NC State Plant Toolbox both list pollinators/bees among the visitors; the common eastern bumble bee is a plausible visitor to the large pollen-rich flowers, though the sources do not name this species specifically.

For people

Not eaten by humans

Grown as an ornamental flowering shrub, hedge, or screen rather than as a food crop. Not documented by the cited horticultural sources as a human food plant; treat as inedible absent a specific edible-use source.

Native range

AHS heat range

1-11

Climate notes

•

Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder lists Hibiscus syriacus for USDA zones 5 to 8 in full sun to part shade with medium water; it is a deciduous shrub native to China to India, despite the epithet suggesting Syria.

•

MBG notes the species is very tolerant of summer heat and humidity, generally tolerant of urban conditions, and tolerant of deer, drought, clay soil, and black walnut; species plants can self-seed aggressively in optimum growing conditions.

•

The NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox publishes a slightly wider hardiness range (zones 5a-9b) for Hibiscus syriacus and reports it has been noted as invasive in some states, including Virginia and Kentucky.

In the designer

Growth over time

96-144" tall · 72-120" spread

Approaches mature 8-12 ft vase-shaped form with full early-summer-to-fall bloom.

Design roles: Focal point · Structure · Pollinator

Seasonal interest

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Filled = the plant has seasonal interest · ▾ now = your current season

Rose of Sharon

At a glance

Related products

Why it matters

Cold hardiness

Heat tolerance

Where this plant fits

What it needs

Lifecycle

Pollination

Plants don't grow alone

For people

Native range

Climate notes

In the designer

Seasonal interest

Sources & citations