5 Smart Tips for Pruning a Sickly Rose of Sharon Bush to Health

Are you lucky enough to have a Rose of Sharon plant in your landscape? Known to horticulturalists as Hibiscus syriacus, this bush sometimes hits store shelves under the moniker "Rose of Althea." Gardening aficionados in hardiness zones 5b to 9a like the fact that cultivar selection allows them to grow the flora as a small tree or a nice-looking bush. Of course, if you just stumbled across a largely forgotten specimen in your newly purchased backyard, you might not be as worried about the taxonomy as you are about what you can do with the plant. Pruning it back to healthy is possible - but only with care.

1. Know the Cultivar's Health

You have recognized that your yard is home to a "Blushing Bride," "Aphrodite" or "Pink Giant." You know that you can let the Rose of Sharon plant grow to its full height of eight to 10 feet and spread its full six to eight feet wide. Then again, you might want to trim back the plant a bit to give it a beautifully shaped appearance. Of course, if the plant is sickly, pruning it back to health takes a bit more effort. Find out first if the bush is actually optimally placed in the landscape. As outlined by the University of Connecticut, this would include a place in full sun. Unless the shrub can take advantage of hot weather and a lot of sunshine, do not prune back a sickly-looking plant; transplant it to a better location and give it a growing season to acclimate.

2. Work with small Tools

Did you know that Rose of Sharon plants have very tender bark? Use the large pruning sheers or the hedge clippers, and you will easily damage branches adjacent to the ones you are cutting. Current year growth in particular is quite vulnerable to scrapes and injury. Using smaller tools, such as a four-inch bypass pruner, takes a bit longer, but it does provide the gardening hobbyist with the control and dexterity needed to prevent wrong cuts and accidental gashes.

3. Mind the Season

The generally slow-growing Rose of Sharon does not need a lot of pruning. Growth is usually upright and the plant maintains an attractive vase shape. Occasionally escaping branches may be cut back late in winter, to prevent the triggering of new growth destined to freeze. A better idea might be to wait until about late March before cutting off any offending branches or twigs. Spurring on new growth at this time is unlikely to result in dead or dying shoots.

4. Cut off Pests

A long neglected Rose of Sharon easily falls victim to aphid infestations. While eco-friendly solutions may help the bush that is only presenting with a few of these voracious insects, the bush that features deformed brush tips does not have a lot of options left. Prune the Rose of Sharon to health by removing the affected tips with a cutting device. Resist the temptation to just break off the stunted growth; a clean cut heals better. You may lose a blooming season by cutting off the tips now; in the long run, you are growing a healthier specimen that features a lot of new growth.

5. Remove Fungi

If prolonged neglect of the Rose of Sharon has allowed fungi to settle in and fruit, larger branch removal becomes necessary. A six-inch bypass pruner clips medium branches, while a 32-inch compound lopper will make quick work of thick sections. Conscientiously cut off all areas affected by the canker and then shape the bush for aesthetic appeal. Do not leave any fungus-infected areas behind with the intention of getting them later when the bush had some time to fill out again. By the time you have a second go at the tree, it might be beyond saving.

Please note that a well-maintained Hibiscus syriacus does not require a lot of - if any - pruning. In fact, overdoing the cutting back of growth can stunt the formation of blooms. It is the neglected Rose of Sharon plant that benefits the most from pruning - if it is done correctly.

Source

University of Connecticut: "Hibiscus syriacus"

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