In the Bible, the book of Song of Songs tells of the passionate dialogue between King Solomon and his young bride during their lovemaking.
He likens her beauty to the Rose of Sharon, while she refers to him as an apple tree in the trees of the forest.
The story began in Israel when King Solomon was travelling with his entourage through the royal wine fields and spotted a beautiful young peasant girl tending the vines.
Desperate to woo her, he disguised himself as a shepherd.
Soon a romance blossomed. King Solomon bravely revealed his true identity and persuaded the beautiful young woman to come to his palace, where they were married.
The scene when he refers to his “beloved” as the Rose of Sharon occurs on their “honeymoon”.
What is the Rose of Sharon?
It is not a rose. It’s a hibiscus. The botanical name is hibiscus syriacus, which is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the mallow family, malvaceae.
Biblical scholars differ on the “garden view” of the plant but rather regard it as symbolically representing the beloved’s beauty and charm, modesty and cherished status within a relationship.
In the garden the Rose of Sharon (hibiscus syriacus) is a hardy, deciduous flowering shrub, appreciated for its large, colourful blooms and low maintenance needs.
The plant can reach heights of one to 3.5m, with a width of 1.5m, bearing trumpet-shaped flowers of white, pink, red, purple, blue or bicoloured.
They can be single or double blooms which appear from summer to autumn.
The Rose of Sharon is loved by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, which pollinate it, adding well-being to the environment.
Planting conditions
It thrives in full sun. If planted in partial shade, the Rose of Sharon will not flower as well.
A true warrior, it is able to tolerate heat, humidity, drought and even air pollution.
The soil conditions can vary, but it prefers well-draining soil.
Although drought tolerant, once it is established, the shrub does enjoy regular watering if it is to produce regular blooms and healthy growth.
Plant it in a hole which is twice the size of the root ball.
Drop a handful of bonemeal in after watering the hole and allowing the water to sink away.
Fertilise it with rose fertiliser in spring.
The Rose of Sharon species are floriferous but are not as showy as hibiscus rosa-sinensis, which make an impactful statement wherever they are planted.
Hibiscus are known for their large, showy, open-faced, trumpet-shaped flowers, which bring a touch of vibrant tropical colour — pink, red, yellow, and red and white — to the garden or container.
They can be single or double flowers and two-toned, mostly with deeper coloured centres.
They thrive in our local climate, requiring a full-sun position, well-draining soil and regular watering.
I do find that in the heat they appreciate a top-up of liquid fertiliser such as Seagro and rose food.
I use the Starke Ayres Rose Food, which is available at R80 at Builders’ Warehouse.
They revive quickly from the extreme heat conditions we have been experiencing when fed with these and watered after a hot day.
Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
If the shrub is neglected, they tend to attract aphids and, in their wake, ants which feed off the nectar emitted by the aphids.
My solution might sound brutal, but I usually cut off ailing buds and tips of branches rather than try saving them with poisons.
The plant revives quickly if you continue to care for it with plant food and water.
All are good growing in large containers. Or grow them as hedges or as large shrubs.
Their needs:
At least six hours of sun a day. The soil should be rich with lots of old manure or compost added to the mix.
Hibiscus are gross feeders and respond quickly after being fed with the above-mentioned liquid fertilisers.
Choose fertilisers that are rich in potassium but low in phosphorus.
Do remember to remove dead flowers to encourage continued flowering.
On planting, add bonemeal to the hole, which feeds the roots.
Water the plants weekly during the summer and more often if it has been a hot day.
You can test if the plant needs water by inserting your index finger in the soil to the first digit.
If the soil is dry at this depth, the plant needs watering.
For hibiscus in the garden bed, prune them lightly, removing dead or diseased branches.
Propagate from cuttings.
Cut a stem from young vigorous growth rather than from areas that are stressed or in flower. (Make sure your secateurs have been sterilised before you begin making the cuts).
The sections should be 10 to 12 cm long. (Take multiple cuttings to ensure success with some).
Dip the end into hormone rooting powder, then insert them, about 3cm to 5cm deep, into the soil made up of inert substances such as perlite, vermiculite and peat moss.
Make sure they stand upright in the “soil”. Cover them with a clear dome or clear plastic bag to maintain the humidity.
You can cut a two-litre bottle off at the black section of the bottle, plant the cuttings in it, then cover it with the clear part of the rest of the bottle.
Roots should form after four to six weeks.
To test whether the roots have formed on the cuttings, tug the top of the cutting to see if there is resistance.
If there is, it indicates that roots have formed.
In the vase, flowers last a day.
On the shrub, flowers last just one or two days, but the hibiscus plant produces flowers continuously throughout the season.
Continuing on from the love theme, wearing a hibiscus behind the ear may be interpreted in love language by which ear on the left or right side the flower is placed.
Placing a hibiscus flower behind the right ear tells that you are single and looking for love.
A flower placed behind the left ear means you are already spoken for.
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