Rose of Sharon is a hardy, deciduous shrub that produces big, hollyhock-like blooms when most blooming shrubs are winding down in late summer and early autumn. The downside is that this hibiscus cousin doesn’t make a great focal point because it’s rather uninteresting for much of the season and may not even leaf out until June if temperatures are chilly. One way to get around this problem is to select plants that grow well with rose of Sharon, and there are many from which to choose. Read on for a few great rose of Sharon companion planting ideas.
Rose of Sharon Companion Plants
Consider planting rose of Sharon in a hedge or border with evergreen or flowering shrubs that bloom at various times. That way, you’ll have glorious color all season. For example, you can always plant rose of Sharon amidst a variety of rose bushes for long-lasting color. Here are a few other suggestions
Blooming Shrubs
Evergreen Shrubs
- Wintergreen boxwood (Buxus mirophylla ‘Wintergreen’)
- Helleri holly (Ilex crenata ‘Helleri’)
- Little giant arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Giant’)
There are also a number of perennial companion plants for rose of Sharon shrubs. In fact, rose of Sharon looks fantastic in a bed where it serves as a backdrop for a variety of colorful blooming plants. So what to plant near rose of Sharon? Nearly any will work, but the following perennials are especially complementary when used for rose of Sharon companion planting:
- Purple coneflower (Echinacea)
- Phlox (Phlox)
- Oriental lilies (Lilium asiatic)
- Blue globe thistle (Echinops bannaticus ‘Blue Glow’)
- Lavender (Lavendula)
Need some other plants that grow well with rose of Sharon? Try groundcovers. Low-growing plants do a great job of providing camouflage when the base of a rose of Sharon shrub gets a little bare.
- Mount Atlas daisy (Anacyclus pyrethrum depressus)
- Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox)
- Basket of gold (Aurinia saxatillis)
- Verbena (Verbena canadensis)
- Hosta (Hosta)
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