I just came back from visiting a friend in NC and she had this gorgeous plant growing in her yard. It was full of beautiful white ruffly blooms and I thought it looked like a Hibiscus. She says it dies down in the winter but comes back in the spring.
Does any know if it is a hibiscus and if so, its name?
Althea, aka Rose of Sharon. related to hibiscus. don't know the variety of this all white double, but its pretty nice and not that easy to find in my area. Pink singles and doubles are much easier to find.
And a very nice white althea too....... pure white no red.
It looks like one they call, "Jeanne DArc" on the Nature Hills Nursery site.
Thanks to all: vossner, Eclipse and Mairzee for the ID help. I have told my friend and she has a greater appreciation for her lovely bush now. It's about 6-7 ft tall and about 6 ft in diameter.... Just loaded with blooms! She didn't know what a treasure she had!
That is beautiful! I've not seen a pure white double like that.
Badseed,
It's gorgeous. My friend didn't think it was so special but she does now. I'd give anything for one like that but it's a slow grower and would probably take years to get to that size.
I water plants at a building that has several white double rose of sharon surrounding their parking lot. I "borrowed" several cuttings and actually got one to leaf out and root in water. I planted it out in the yard last year and it is actually blooming now. It's kinda short still, but hey, it will get bigger!
Martha
It is gorgeous! Sometimes all white is just so stunning,
Good for you, Martha! I'm sure they never missed what you "borrowed". LOL
Kell, I agree. The all white is striking.
sunshine, you could get a few cuttings and root them. ;) Stick them off to the side somewhere and be very pleasantly surprised some day in the future.
Badseed,
That's a great idea! Probably would take forever but then, like you said, one day I might be pleasantly surprised.
If it is like typical Rose of Sharon plants, they root very easily for me here in S. Calif. I'm sure they would root well for you. Hurry though before the end of summer goes away completely. Get some roots before fall sets in & then it will take off in the spring.
Marcy
OK, Marcy...... Will do.
Last fall a friend got a lot of small Rose of Sharon Plants from an area where I want to make a mixed shrub border behind perennial border to create a small area for relaxing and reading during heat of the day.
The area sprouted a load of more seedlings about knee high some of whitch are blooming now for the first time.
I've given away dozens and moved some to form a hedge. Some are being left and trimmed to tree form and a few early bloomers will be left to form trimmed back plants in front of variegated buddleias mixed (with 'Honeycomb' (yellow), 'Attraction' (Purple though said to be red) and 'Silver Frost' (white) buttefly bushes. Color of the variegated one's blooms is almost identical to 'Attraction.'
In the very broad slanted area on slant beside it I'm leaving some of the 'Rose of Sharon' plants trimmed to tree form since their shadows wouldn't create a problem and I like them. Seem to vary in color from lavender to pink. None have bloomed white yet. I've decided to cut down some that have grown tall but haven't bloomed.
Did have a beautiful single white with red center but some people cleaning up around the house were to cut down some trees and were told to leave it since it was in perfect location, had beautiful shape and blooms. Unfortunately they cut it down too. They said it would come back but it didn't--but the ones I didn't want did!
The double one looks beautiful and wish I had one like it. Do have the white with pink stripe cuttings from a friend rooting. Don't know its name though.
lanewalk,
Seems they do well in NC!
