rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), photographi

How to Grow Rose Of Sharon

Hibiscus syriacus · Zones 5-8

Rose Of Sharon is a perennial grown for its blooms, which open in spring and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 8 and shrugs off deer. Its spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Rose Of Sharon — the short answer

Rose Of Sharon: grown in zones 5–8, part sun, pH 5–8.

USDA zones
5–8
Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
Soil pH
5–8
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Part Sun
Growable Ground Plant Database
Frost-kill temp (growing season)
32°F
FAO ECOCROP

Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.

Score your parcel · free

Which pests actually threaten rose of sharon where you grow?

Japanese beetle is only documented in part of the country, so the answer depends on where you plant. Enter your location and we'll tell you which one reaches your land — and the move that beats it.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your full report in seconds

What Rose Of Sharon is

Rose Of Sharon grows as a perennial and reaches around ten feet at maturity. It blooms in spring. It's also deer-resistant.

How to grow Rose Of Sharon

Rose Of Sharon grows in USDA zones 5 through 8. Rose Of Sharon does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs about 300 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.

USDA Zones

5-8

USDA PHZM 2023

Soil pH

5 - 8

FAO ECOCROP

Sun

Part Sun

Growable Ground plant catalog

Drainage

well (dry spells)

Growable Ground plant catalog

Frost Kill Temperature

32°F

Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.

FAO ECOCROP

Minimum Growing Temperature

51.8°F

Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.

FAO ECOCROP

Mature Height

10 ft

Growable Ground plant catalog

Chill Hours

300+

Winter hours below ~45°F it needs to fruit — too-mild winters can leave it bloom-shy.

Growable Ground plant catalog

Frost-Free Days

0+

The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.

Growable Ground plant catalog

  1. Start the season right

    Plant rose of sharon in part sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.

  2. Match the soil

    Rose Of Sharon prefers pH 5 to 8 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.

  3. Water steadily

    Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.

  4. Harvest at its peak

    Cut rose of sharon blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.

Where Rose Of Sharon thrives

Rose Of Sharon is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 8. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.

A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 58 spans average winter lows from -20°F to 20°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 19 outright and splits 31 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.

Zones 5–8 highlighted on the USDA national hardiness zone map

Zones 5–8·Where Rose Of Sharon growsOpen map →

This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Where Rose Of Sharon stands, state by state

Rose Of Sharon is rated for zones 58 — a cold floor USDA puts at -20 to -10°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 19 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 31 more, and 1 sits outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.

Fully inside zones 5–8

19 states

3 of 19 shown

The line runs through

31 states

3 of 31 shown

Rose Of Sharon’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.

Outside zones 5–8

1 state

Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant often works in a container that comes under cover. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.

State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.

What grows around Rose Of Sharon

In rotation planning, rose of sharon counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)

Good to know

Good news for pet owners — rose of sharon isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)

Rose Of Sharon offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)

Your land is one point inside Rose Of Sharon's range

This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.

Free Report

See if Rose Of Sharon will thrive on your land

Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether rose of sharon actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

How we know this about Rose Of Sharon

The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.

Grounded inUSDA PLANTS DatabaseUSDA PHZMASPCA

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow Rose Of Sharon in my zone?

Rose Of Sharon grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.

When should you plant Rose Of Sharon?

Most growers plant rose of sharon after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.

How much sun does Rose Of Sharon need?

Rose Of Sharon does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.

What soil does Rose Of Sharon need?

Rose Of Sharon prefers soil pH 5 to 8, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.

Does Rose Of Sharon attract pollinators?

Yes — rose of sharon's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)

Is Rose Of Sharon safe for pets?

Rose Of Sharon is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)