Gift that became an obsession — Rose of Sharon

Someone gave me Rose of Sharon as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit.

The key discovery was mulching around the base annually to feed and retain moisture — once that clicked, the plant transformed. wide range from ground-covering species to large specimens is what gets mentioned every time anyone visits. I keep it in a low-maintenance foundation planting around a house which works perfectly. early spring flowering on bare branches before leaves appear is when I understand why this plant has such devoted followers. dieback from harsh winters on marginally hardy varieties is the one ongoing challenge but it's worth the effort.