This flowering shrub, Rose of Sharon, is also called Hibiscus syriacus. It is grown for its beautiful blooms in late summer. It is a common plant in many gardens because it grows well in hot weather and has a vase-shaped shape. But Rose of Sharon can sometimes struggle and decline, even though it doesn’t need much care.
You may notice only one side of the shrub leafing out while the other side appears completely dead. Or the whole plant may look dried up and bare. This leaves you wondering – is my Rose of Sharon dead or can it recover?
It takes some detective work to figure out if your Rose of Sharon is alive or dead, but there are clear signs you can look for to be sure.
Signs Your Rose of Sharon is Dead
Here are the most obvious indicators that your Rose of Sharon has likely kicked the bucket for good:
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By the middle of spring, there is no new growth. Rose of Sharon usually comes out of dormancy early, in April or May. By mid-spring, if you haven’t seen any signs of life on your plant, it’s probably dead.
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Brittle, dry branches – Try gently bending some branches. Dead ones will snap while live branches are flexible.
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No green layer under bark – Use a pocket knife to peel back some bark. Exposed brown or grey means the branch is dead.
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Leaf drop without regrowth – If leaves suddenly dropped last fall and no new leaves emerged this spring, it’s not a good sign.
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No blooms for 2-3 years – Lack of flowers despite proper care can indicate the shrub is dead.
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Major vertical cracking – Large splits in the main trunk or branches typically means the plant is dead.
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Shredded or missing bark – Severely damaged bark that’s shredded or peeled off exposes dead wood underneath.
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No green on scratch test – Scratching into live wood will reveal a green layer, while dead wood stays brown.
If you notice several of these signs, it’s likely time to accept your Rose of Sharon has died and plan for a replacement.
Hope Remains if You See These Signs of Life
Don’t give up all hope yet if you notice these more encouraging signs that your Rose of Sharon may still be clinging to life:
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Delayed leaf emergence – Be patient if your plant is slower to leaf out. Time may be needed to recover.
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Green leaves on part of plant – One dead side doesn’t necessarily mean the whole shrub is done for.
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Live roots – Check below ground. Flexible white roots still mean it’s hanging on.
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Some green on scratch test – Test multiple areas. Even a hint of green in the scratch test offers hope.
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New sprouts at base – Fresh growth emerging from the roots shows the plant is trying to revive itself.
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Sparse blooms – Fewer flowers than normal could just indicate stress, not death.
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Supple young branches – Newly emerging twigs that still bend likely have life in them.
While these are positive indicators, turnaround can be slow. Have patience over years, not months, for possible revival.
What to Do if Your Rose of Sharon is Partially Dead
Often Rose of Sharon doesn’t die uniformly. You may notice one side declining or certain branches in poor shape while the rest looks healthy. Try these tactics to help the plant recover:
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Prune out any clearly dead branches back to the trunk.
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Shape the plant so it looks balanced, removing dead sections.
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Fertilize lightly in early spring with a balanced fertilizer.
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Ensure it gets at least 6 hours of direct sun.
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Allow soil to dry between waterings to prevent rot.
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Scratch test questionable branches to determine if they’re still viable.
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Wait and monitor distressed areas for signs of regrowth.
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Prune back dead branches to just above any live sprouts.
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Remove fully dead sections down to the ground after 1-2 years if no improvement.
With time and proper care, Rose of Sharon can often bounce back from partial dieback. But the plant needs your patience.
What Causes Rose of Sharon to Die or Decline?
If your Rose of Sharon clearly cannot be revived, what led to its demise? Look at these common culprits:
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Excess winter moisture – Heavy snow cover or saturated soil causes root rot.
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Winter injury – Extreme cold can damage the bark and kill branches.
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Fungal diseases – Infections like powdery mildew and leaf spot weaken the plant over time.
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Pests – Borers, scales, and other insects can damage the trunk.
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Age – Older plants beyond 10-15 years often lack vigor.
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Transplant shock – Root damage from moving or construction can be fatal.
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Insufficient sun – At least 6 hours of direct sun daily is required.
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Over-pruning – Cutting too much or at the wrong time adds stress.
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Poor drainage – Standing water leads to decline and rotting roots.
Take time to assess growing conditions and troubleshoot issues to determine what contributed to your Rose of Sharon’s demise so you can avoid a repeat.
What to Do With a Dead Rose of Sharon
If your Rose of Sharon is clearly beyond saving, here are some options to consider:
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Remove it – Pull it out completely and plant something new in its place.
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Cut it to the ground – Saw it off at ground level and allow new sprouts to emerge from the roots.
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Leave as habitat – Allow it to decompose naturally as cover for birds and wildlife.
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Replace nearby – Plant a new Rose of Sharon in close proximity and start fresh.
While saying goodbye to a once-thriving shrub is disappointing, take comfort that Rose of Sharon is relatively easy to replace. With proper site selection and care, your new plant can flourish for years to come. The key is learning from past mistakes.
Losing a beloved Rose of Sharon doesn’t have to leave an ugly hole in your landscape. With planning, you can spruce up the space and restore the beauty this plant once provided. Just don’t give up too quickly – with time and TLC, your Rose of Sharon may come back yet. Monitor closely for any signs of life before writing it off completely. Where there are sprouts and roots, there’s hope!
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Ongoing Care for Rose of Sharon
Bud drop can be a problem with growing rose of Sharon. This may be caused in part when the rose of Sharon bush is under stressful conditions, so try to keep the shrub as happy as possible. Too little water or too much fertilization may contribute to bud drop, which seems inherent to the rose of Sharon bush. If you keep an eye on your rose of Sharon as it grows, you’ll get a long season of big, showy single or double blooms. Flowers grow on the growth of the current year. If you prune the rose of Sharon early, before the buds form, you can keep it in great shape and keep the tree-like shrub in check. Rose of Sharon is a deciduous shrub, so the best way to learn how to grow it and keep it under control is to try different cultivars. Some have attractive drooping branches while others assume an upright form. Care for rose of Sharon can depend on the form taken by your specimen. The rose of Sharon shrub flowers on growth from the current year, allowing optimum opportunities for when to prune rose of Sharon. Pruning rose of Sharon shrub may be done in late fall or winter after leaves drop or in early spring before buds form. Rose of Sharon pruning done later than early spring may cause the loss of some blooms, but those that are not removed will be larger. Learning how to prune a rose of Sharon and when to prune rose of Sharon is simple once you learn the methods. Younger shrubs may benefit from a light pruning while older specimens may need more extreme branch removal. When planning to trim a rose of Sharon, stand back and take a look at the overall form. Younger shrubs grow upward and have an erect form, but older specimens may have attractive, drooping branches. To maintain either form when pruning rose of Sharon shrub, remove wood to the first or second node (bump on the limb). If growth appears untidy and out of hand, rose of Sharon pruning may need to be further down the stem. Annual rose of Sharon pruning prevents an untidy appearance.
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“Younger shrubs may benefit from a light pruning while older specimens may need more extreme branch removal.”
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How to Grow a Rose of Sharon
Care for rose of Sharon, botanically named Hibiscus syriacus, is minimal. After planting rose of Sharon, this attractive specimen may thrive with neglect. However, some care, especially pruning for size and shape, will likely be needed for this showy shrub to add value to your landscape display.
Also known as shrub Althea, this 4- to 12-foot specimen is a native of eastern Asia that is well adapted to growing in most USDA plant hardiness zones. It often reaches a spread of 10 feet and can be used as part of a growing privacy border.
When planting rose of Sharon in the landscape, consider that older varieties may reseed abundantly. Prepare to remove additional plants appearing in unwanted areas. These can be relocated to a more desirable location or shared with friends. Shrub Althea is best planted into rich well-draining, slightly acidic soil in a full sun to mostly sun location. The rose of Sharon bush prefers moist, well-draining soil, although it will tolerate most soil conditions except those that are soggy or extremely dry. A top dressing of organic compost or mulch may benefit the rose of Sharon bush.
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Is My Plant Dead (or Just Dormant) after Winter?
FAQ
Will my Rose of Sharon come back?
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Reddit · r/gardeninghttps://www.reddit.comRose of Sharon got chopped by accident. Could it grow back?! : r/gardening
Is my Rose of Sharon dead or alive?
if the buds fall away when touched, they are dead. it is not uncommon for a Rose of Sharon to grow well for a number of years and then abruptly fail to leaf out in the spring. General requirements include:Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil; tolerant of alkaline soils.
Why is my Rose of Sharon not leafing out?
Reasons for no buds forming: Lack of adequate sun. Drought during an exceptionally dry summer. Rot caused because of soil not draining. Inadequate phosphorus. Inappropriate or inadequate pruning. Most of these can be addressed rather easily, although making these corrections will not get you flowers until next season.
What kills a Rose of Sharon?
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Uprooting:For smaller trees or shrubs, uprooting them with an uprooter or by digging and removing the root ball can be effective, says Trees Atlanta.
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Cut and Treat:For larger shrubs or trees, cutting them down and treating the stump with a high concentration of glyphosate-based herbicide is a recommended method, says Trees Atlanta. Apply the herbicide within minutes of cutting to prevent regrowth.
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Digging and Removing the Root Ball:This is a more thorough method, especially for larger plants, but it can be time-consuming.
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Herbicide Application:Herbicides formulated for woody plants, like Bioadvance’s brush killer or Ortho’s Ground Clear, can be used, but they should be applied carefully, either by painting the herbicide on leaves or by using a dye to track where it’s been applied to prevent accidental overspray, says The Spruce.
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New Shoot Removal:Cutting back or pulling up new shoots as they appear, mowing them over, or covering the area with black plastic can prevent them from establishing and ultimately weaken the plant, says Phipps Conservatory.