Confederate Rose

My grandmother has one of these shrubs that is huge. She offered to give me some cuttings but I have read mixed reviews on it. Some love it and some hate it. Some say it's invasive and some say it's not. Anyone have experience with it?

Chad, do you know for sure what it is (botanical name)? Is it a Rosa species or something else?

Guy S.

I'm assuming it's Hibiscus mutabilis (at least that's the only thing I know of as Confederate Rose). I've never heard that it's invasive, but of course I live in a very different climate so that doesn't mean it isn't near you. Personally I think the flowers are very pretty, but I've never grown it (my Hibiscus experience is with H. syriacus and H. rosa-sinensis, both of which I like a lot). I think if you like big showy blooms, then give it a try (unless you find out it is invasive in your area of course!)

I think it is the hibiscus species, I know it's not really a rose. They are popular with the "old fashioned" gardeners here.

I can't say how it'll do down there in Escambia Co., but there are a couple out here in my pasture - survivors from an old homesite - think I've seen ONE seedling come up in the edge of the ditch that runs downhill from the spot, so in my book, it's not invasive up here.
Kills back to the ground every year(if my son doesn't bush-hog 'em), but re-grows, and blooms nicely.
Kinda gangly, should work nicely in a shrub border.

I think I will try to root a cutting or two.

Escambia,

I was given one of these as a gift from my mom and so far so good. My only tip is to make sure you give it PLENTY of room to spread out...because it will!! I will be moving mine to a better spot for this very reason. I had no idea how fast they grew...the flowers are beautiful though. Here are a few pics from over the summer....the first is shortly after i got it..the last weekrnd in may....

and this one was taken just this weekend....

the flower is really nice on it...opens white and te changes to a dark pink by the end of the day....here it is in the morning.....

and here it is that night...already closed...I did not get home in time to catch it still open but it gives you an idea of the color...

Any tips on rooting them?

Escambiaguy: I have never heard that hibiscus mutabalis is invasive here in west central Alabama. If you do have stray seedlings just tell somebody and they will be gone before you blink. I tried for a long time to get this plant. Now I have 3 and I would like to know a good way to root them also. Now there is a rosa mutabalis that has the same coloration sort of. But, Confederate Rose is a lovely plant more like the Rose of Sharon hibiscus than a rose or the other smaller disco belle hibiscus. It will get 10 to 12 ft high and it blooms when nothing much else is, even in a floriferous yard. My white Rose of Sharon has thrown a few seedlings: none are like the original plant. In fact one of the seedlings is a rufflely double white whereas the original was a single white with a red blotch in the center. I wouldn't call Rose of Sharon invasive--just something that requires normal maintenance. And you may get a pleasant surprise from the seedlings that do come up.

I do have the "Diana" and "Blue Bird" rose of sharon. The foliage on this plant is so much different though. I didn't even think of the two as related.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) self seeds alot here. You will find dozens if not hundreds of seedlings within 25 feet or so of the mother plant. So, it doesn't go far, but it sure does have alot of seedlings!

Also, my Confederate Rose didn't ever look too nice here so I got rid of it. Then again, I think I should of just moved it to a sunny hotter place, because it was in part shade in a low spot, which is a frost pocket. But if you really don't want any chance of seedlings, you can get one of the several newish hybrids between Rose of Sharon and Confederate Rose. They are sterile and I really like mine. Bigger flowers than Rose of Sharon and nice Confederate Rose like leaves and growth habit.

The confederate rose leaves kind of remind me of sycamore leaves.

I have no personal experience with it but have heard that confederate rose cuttings will root in water if you bring them in over the winter. I have no idea how yours would be with reseeding . Here in zone 7b frost often gets the blooms which come very late in the season.

You can propagate them from either seeds or cuttings. They root easily and you can take cuttings at any time during the growing season - even though they root easiest/fastest in early spring. Cut off most of the leaves and place them in moist 60% potting mix/40% perlite mixture and cover them for a couple of weeks, keeping the potting mixture moist but not soaking wet. You should have roots within 2-4 weeks and you should see new leaves beginning to emerge.