Large cheery blooms with a gorgeous tropical flair! The Minerva Rose of Sharon shrub form (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Minerva’), also known as Althea, and related to Tropical and Hardy Hibiscus, Minerva is an ornamental flowering shrub with impressive, long-blooming lavender flowers!
Your Minerva Rose of Sharon’s hallmark feature is the wide-open, trumpet-shaped summer blooms of impressive grace and color. Each sumptuous blossom features delicate pinkish-lavender petals surrounding a dramatic, dark-red eye. Each center is crowned with a bold yellow stamen.
The glossy, dark-green foliage frames the flowers to perfection for a garden display that stands out amid other plantings. Unlike other Hibiscus varieties that put on a show and then retire for the season, Minerva Hibiscus will flower again and again for a spectacular display in summer and into fall!
Cut a few of the long, elegant branches and use them in narrow glass vases, weighted with clear glass beads. There is nothing more sophisticated than a simple arrangement to decorate your tablescape. Rose of Sharon are lovely, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrubs that carry an air of stately, sculptural presence while managing to look relaxed and informal while doing it! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9, these shrubs grow 6-8 feet in height and 5-6 feet in width at maturity
Planting and Application:
Plant one as an accent near a window or door where you’re sure to catch every moment of its impressive display. You’ll love how they start blooming just as most other flowering shrubs are finishing up for the season. Feed butterflies, Hummingbirds, and beneficial pollinators with their plentiful, nectar-rich blooms.
Minerva will also do well in large containers on your back porch and use them as “Thrillers” in large outdoor containers. Use several, evenly spaced along the pool deck or patio for a tropical getaway! Or, place three in a triangle behind your seating area for a welcoming privacy screen. Run a long hedge of these hard-working beauties along your property line. Creating a very friendly fence to share with your neighborhood. Use one or several to decorate the background of your planting beds as mighty accents and focal points.
Set the stage for outdoor entertainment with a short hedge of tropical blooms! Space them four feet apart on center, measuring from the center of one to the center of the next. It won’t be long before they’ll be full-grown. Creating ‘garden rooms’ with flowering walls. Make your landscape live large with designated entertainment areas!
Don’t forget to carve out a bit of space just for yourself as well! Decorate your new garden room with a hammock, or create your own outdoor Yoga platform or firepit with style. Site a special garden sculpture in front of the intriguing blooms to really showcase both!
- Gorgeous Lavender Blooms with Ruby-Red Centers
- Long-Lasting Display Mid-Summer Through Fall
- Butterflies, Bees & Hummingbirds Love the Nectar-Rich Blooms
- Upright, Rounded Form & Pretty Branching Structure Looks Great All Year!
- So Easy to Grow, Great for New Gardeners
- “Thriller” in Extra Large Outdoor Containers
- Effective Screen for Privacy & ‘Garden Rooms’
Tips for Care:
So easy to grow, Minerva Rose of Sharon is a deciduous shrub with an upright form and dense growth habit. Minerva adapts to a variety of conditions and is quite hardy. Under ideal conditions, you can expect your Minerva Rose of Sharon to live for up to 40 years! Keep yours healthy with at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Full sun-loving, that heat, and humidity in summer will not slow these down at all!
Rose of Sharon does need well-drained soil but is not particular on the type. Even doing well in poor soils. If drainage is an issue, add extra dirt in a raised bed if you need to improve drainage. Sitting in water will be their death. Give them a regular schedule of medium water, especially when they are young plants. Container-grown plants need careful watering. Never let them dry out completely. Apply a slow-release fertilizer designed for flowering plants at the same time. Follow application rates on the label.
Colder growing zones actually hinder seed production, making this plant nearly sterile. Use Minerva anywhere in your yard without worrying about nuisance seedlings. However, in warmer regions, these can be a bit messy because they have so many seedlings that sprout nearby. Simply deadhead your shrub after flowers fade and remove those seedheads before they mature to combat this.
Add a thick layer of arborist mulch in containers and in-ground plants alike. You’ll cut down on surface evaporation with this useful garden must-have, plus provide much-needed insulation from heat and cold. This plant blooms on new growth so prune late winter or early spring to reduce the size or thin before it begins growing in spring without sacrificing any bloom. Renewal prune every 3-5 years to maintain vigor.
- Full Sun
- Moderate Moisture & Enriched Well-Drained Soil
- Adaptable to a Wide Range of Conditions
- Vigorous Performance & Few, if Any Viable Seeds
- Tolerates Cold, Heat, Humidity & Salt Spray
- Deer Don’t Prefer the Taste
Carve out your own slice of garden paradise with Minerva Rose of Sharon! Easy care Minerva Rose of Sharon is one type that will look great in just about any landscape and lend that designer’s touch without the cost and time!
