I think I like Aphrodite, but mainly I don't like the double ones. I like all of the ones with the single flower that is pale on the edges and has a darker throat.

I also believe that proper pruning makes this shrub go from ho-hum to a showpiece.

Are you saying you can't get a good one from a local nursery? Around here there are just zillions, and this is one of those that I would spend some money and get a big one, or you are going to wait kind of a long time for a full-size shrub.

I'm pretty jealous. I don't have enough sun for one of those anywhere, and it's one of my all time favorites. Well, I did get a teeny tiny one from Bluestone just for kicks and giggles, but I didn't see any point in getting a big one when I can't really give it what it needs.

Sob.

I have 'Blue Bird' and it is a wonderful plant. But I recently got an 8" tall 'Blue Satin' because I saw a large one at a local farm market and it seemed so much bluer than 'Blue Bird'. The little plant came with a huge order of other shrubs, so I had to watch prices. I also have been impressed by the white one called 'Diana', because it never wastes energy on seed production, although I am not growing it myself. I am unable to thing of a spot for another on my property.

They are all beautiful, but I don't have any experience with the cultivers. One word of advice, make sure you get a sterile one, or you'll be forever digging up seedlings.

I recommend 'Diana' because it is sterile. I've been told that all the ones with names from classical mythology are also sterile, i.e. 'Minerva', 'Aphrodite', but I don't know that for certain. BTW, don't order from Spring Hill; there quality is pretty poor.

Are "Lavender Chiffon" and "White Chiffon" sterile cultivars? Have looked everywhere and can't seem to find the answer.

WHAT CAN I DO TO CONTROL HUNDREDS OF SEEDLING FROM MY 3 ROSE OF SHARON I HAVE IN MY FRONT YARD. I HAVE THEM ALONG A FENCE IN AN AREA OF 3FT BY 8FT AND IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO SEE SO MANY SHOOTS COMING UP THROUGH THE GROWND COVER I HAVE. CAN I SPRAY THEM WITH SOMETHING TO KEEP THE NUMBERS DOWN WITHOUT HARMING THE ORIGINAL BUSHES. I'M EVENING WILLING TO KILL OFF THE GROWN COVER. PLUCKING THEM ALL OUT HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS CHORE AND STILL I CAN'T SEEM TO GET RID OF THEM ALL. THEY SEEM LIKE WEEDS THERE SO PLENTIFUL
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY ADVISE

I enthusiastically recommend 'Diana.' It has beautiful white flowers and is sterile. If I had room, I'd plant more.

A third blue one is 'Baillin'.

Here is a link that might be useful: Description

I actually received a couple of Rose of Sharon 'Freedom' from Spring Hill before I had read their rating on the Garden Watchdog site, and I guess I was lucky, because mine were fine. They weren't huge, but nothing mailorder ever is. The problem with mine is that they blend in with the mulch during the winter because they are short and have no leaves on them. Both of mine have been stepped on more than once the last couple of months, so I would be surprised if they come back this year.

Here is another source for tree form hibiscus, though I haven't ordered from them before.

Here is a link that might be useful: Greenwood Nursery

'Blue Satin' is the abosolute very best. I have one: wish I had more. It does not drop seeds. Its color rivals all the other cultivars I see at the nursery.

I purchased it from a local nursery, and tried to purchase three more one year, but the supplier who sent those to the nursery had put the wrong cultivar label on the plants. When I got them home and before I planted them they bloomed in the pots and were, instead, different chiffon varieties. The Nursery was good to give me a refund when I returned them.

I tried to start some last summer, and they rooted, but now they are not showing signs of any leafing out. Hopefully, it is still early enough that they might still produce leaves. If not, I will take some cuttings and try to root those in the spring time this year.

Gibber, you have three options: #1 try putting Preen in your beds to reduce the number of seedlings that germinate. You will have to do this every year, it won't work 100% of the time, and it can get expensive. #2. Pull out the old bushes that are making all those seeds and plant some new sterile ones, #3 pull out the ground cover, but then you'll have even more seedlings, because that ground will now have full sun. (I'd go with #2.)

Thanks, Katrina, for the suggestion on Blue Satin. I have wondered about it and will try it now. I second the recommendation for Aphrodite. It is lovely and sterile.

Regina, I would like more info on how you prune yours to go from ho-hum to showpiece.

If you don't want seeds - the answer is simple. Just prune the plant when its done flowering. Trash the clippings and the seed heads end up in the trash. This also results in better flowering the next year - as well as a better looking plant.

Can I plant 'Rose of Sharon' under a huge line of pine trees for a filler or a block? They would get morning sun. Would they survive? The trees have gotten so big and are no longer blocking the privacy view on the bottom 4 or 5 feet of the trees

i absolutely LOVE my pink aphrodite ... which i grew for 3 yrs. as a shrub & last yr. pruned it up to be a standard ... also have a dbl. red hibiscus tree form (purchased that way) & love both the single AND the dbl. flowered! ...

the brances if pruned off the aphrodite were easily propagated & they even had a couple flowers the 1st yr.

phyl

Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite' (pink with red eye), 'Diana' (pure white), 'Helene' (white with red eye) and 'Minerva' (Lavender and pink with red eye) are all triploids with plentiful and continuous flowering, a compact growth habit, dark green leathery leaves, and little or no seed production introduced by the U.S. National Arboretum.

I have heard of other sterile or near-sterile cultivars but cannot find them listed anywhere now.

Does anyone know where to find any of the above triploid/sterile cutltivars for a reasonable price or know of other varieties that I haven't listed? I don't care how small they are, I just don't want to have to pay nearly as much for them as most of the nurseries that carry them want to charge.

JMC-
Blue satin is the most beautiful true blue ROS flower I have ever seen.
The foilage is darker green than Lavender Chiffon, looks tropical, and it grows a little faster also.
It is a single, sterile flower. I loved it sooo much I also ordered a Violet satin and the flowers on that were incredible!
Brandon,
I bought both of them through a licensed nursery that always sells on Ebay. THey are a nursery though, and sell proven winners of soooo many plants. They were both healthy and I didn't pay over 9.99 for them. They grew quite nicely also. Do a search on Ebay under Rose of Sharon Blue satin and you will find them. They are propular.
GOod Luck!

Butterfly4u, the 'Blue Satin' cultivar is not one of the triploid/sterile cutltivars. It's the ones I listed above that are hard to find at a low price.

My favorite is Lucy. Its a deep clear pink double. I never get seedlings, but it could be my climate.

Patticook, you can (should?) rejuvente ROS by pruning it down A LOT! I cut mine down to about 3' every 2-3 years. It must be done very early in the season to allow plenty of time for the new growth to develop. I do it late winter/early spring before it comes out of dormancy. If yours is so tall that the bottom 4-5' are leggy, you might want to do it in stages. Maybe cut it down to half the height this year and next year cut it down to 3-4' tall.

This weekend I received a HUGE mature Hibiscus syriacus. It is absolutely beautifully branched and has never been cut back (or at least not "A LOT"). Foliage and bloom were great last year. I have never seen one that had to be cut back to rejuvenate it. Anyone else have to cut them back?

Let me reword my above comment....I meant to say that I have never seen one that had to be cut way back (A LOT) to rejuvenate it. Removing dead wood and regular maintenance pruning is commonly done.

I cut them back by choice to control the size. They don't require it. I just like to keep the size manageable. They respond great.

This note reminded me to do mine and I finally got some outside time last weekend.

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I have three varieties ("Aphrodite," "Diana," and "Bluebird") planted together as a clump at our log cabin on Beaver Lake in (Zone 6) northwest Arkansas; they look great together. I strongly disagree with the previous poster who chops them back almost to stumps; I have instead pruned the bottom growth off of mine, so that they have grown up like a multi-trunked tree clump -- the result is very showy and elegant..

My google research says the triploids are sterile 'Diana' (white), 'Aphrodite' (pink with a red eye), 'Minerva' (pale lavender) and 'Helena' (white with a red eye). I also hear Sugar Tip is sterile. I also read that the satins and chiffons are "near seedless". I was wondering if anyone has experience with Aphrodite or Pink Chiffon? It sound like Aphrodite is more reliably sterile and therefore the flowers live longer. Does anyone know if that is true?

I have four varieties - Minerva, Rose Satin, Lavender Chiffon and Blushing Bride. Lavender Chiffon has, maybe, ten seedlings to pull each spring. I haven’t seen one around Blushing Bride. Minerva rarely seeds, but Rose Satin seeds vigourously. Interestingly, the flowers of Minerva and Rose Satin are almost identical.

Another vote for Blue Satin.