Helene Rose of Sharon
Helene Rose of Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus 'Helene'
Item #0226 USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9



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White, heavily ruffled flowers with reddish purple eyes complement handsome, leathery dark green leaves. Dense, upright growth is more compact than others. Blooms nearly continuously over a long season, and rarely sets seeds. Tolerates air pollution. Makes a wonderful informal hedge or screen, and is easily trained into a small tree. Deciduous.
- OverviewLight Needs:Partial to full sunWatering Needs:Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers.Average Landscape Size:Moderate growing; reaches 6 to 9 ft. tall, 6 ft. wide.Key Feature:Elegant Summer FlowersBlooms:SummerLandscape Uses:
- DetailBotanical Pronunciation:hi-BIS-kus si-ri-A-kusPlant type:ShrubDeciduous/evergreen:DeciduousGrowth rate:ModerateAverage landscape size:Moderate growing; reaches 6 to 9 ft. tall, 6 ft. wide.Special features:Compact Form, Tolerates Urban Pollution, WaterwiseFoliage color:GreenBlooms:SummerFlower color:MulticoloredFlower attributesFlowers for Cutting, Long Bloom Season, Showy FlowersGarden styleContemporary, Cottage, RusticCompanion PlantsHydrangea (Hydrangea); Viburnum (Viburnum); Lilac (Syringa); Lavender (Lavandula); Phlox (Phlox)
- CareCare InformationAdaptable to most well-drained soils except very wet or dry. Water deeply, regularly in first growing season to establish root system. Once established, reduce frequency; tolerates brief periods of drought. Feed before new growth begins in spring. Prune after flowering to shape and promote vigorous new growth.Pruning time: late fall or winter.Light Needs:Partial to full sunWatering Needs:Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat or containers.
- History & LoreHistory:A U.S. National Arboretum Plant Introduction, Helene is a sterile triploid with a more compact form than the species Hibiscus syriacus. In 1971, a number of crosses were made between diploid Hibiscus seedling selections of (H. syriacus 'Suminokura-yae' x H. syriacus 'William R. Smith'),(H. syriacus 'Blue Bird' x H. syriacus 'Hanagasa'), or (H. syriacus 'Sokobeniyae' x H. syriacus 'William R. Smith') and colchicine-induced tetraploid seedlings ofH. syriacus 'William R. Smith'. The resulting triploids, 'Helene', 'Minerva', and 'Aphrodite' were released in 1980, 1986 and 1988, respectively.