Hibiscus syriacus, or more commonly known as rose sharon, is a flowering shrub whose flowers are pink, purple, or white. This plant is very easy to care for, but occasional pruning can help it grow and look more attractive. Get in the habit of pruning sharon rose bushes during their dormancy. Remove dead or damaged wood first, then deal with crossed branches or shoots that grow uncontrollably and spoil the neat appearance of the plant.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Stimulating New Growth in Sharon Roses
Step 1. Wait for the period of active growth to pass to prune roses of sharon
In general, sharon roses are self-sufficient plants and do not require much care. However, if you decide that the plant needs beautification, do so during the months when the plant is still in its dormant period. This will stimulate the growth of new shoots after the active growing season arrives.
- As a rule of thumb, the best time to prune sharon roses is before the rainy season before the flowers begin to bloom.
- Pruning roses of sharon too early or too late can leave the plant shock and susceptible to weathering, and hinder healthy new growth.
Step 2. Remove dead or damaged wood
Look for branches that look bad, brittle, or discolored, and leave only the strongest and healthiest parts. Cut each branch as close to the main trunk as possible. You can use cutting shears to cut off most plants.
- For thick, tough branches, use durable long-handled cutting shears or a manual pruning saw.
- If you're not sure whether a particular branch is completely dead, scrape off the bark a little. If the wood underneath has a greenish tinge, don't cut it.
Step 3. Subtract the branches that cross each other
Check the center of the clump for branches that are crossing or entangling with one another. Cut the branch that is more bent between the two at the base-you don't need to remove both. Don't forget to also check for twisted or bent stems on the outside of the clump.
In addition to making the plant look better, removing crossed branches will also free up the center of the clump because good airflow is essential to preventing pests and diseases
Step 4. Remove the sucker shoots from the base of the plant
Sucker shoots are bony stems that grow vertically from the roots of woody shrubs such as roses of sharon. These shoots most often appear at the bottom of the main stem or from the soil, just below the shrub. The best way to deal with sucker shoots is to cut each stem as close to the base as possible so that it no longer connects with the roots and slows growth.
- Once they start sprouting, sucker shoots will usually grow back in a few months. This means, you have to throw it back about 2-3 times a year.
- Sucker shoots not only interfere with the appearance of the plant, but also suck vital nutrients from the soil if not removed immediately.
Step 5. Cut the rose bushes of sharon and leave of the total plant size
If sharon roses are not thriving (or are growing very large), you can trim more than you have left. As long as the strong live woody stem at the base of the clump remains intact, the rose of sharon will grow back to produce eye-catching flowers year after year.
- This practice of massive pruning of plants is called “rejuvenation pruning”. Rejuvenating pruning is useful for promoting healthy new growth on old or infertile plants.
- You can prune roses of sharon to a 0.5-1 meter high stump during dormancy.
- Remember, the more branches you trim, the fewer buds there will be when the sharon rosebush finally blooms. However, the color of the flowers that are still left will be more intense and vibrant because the plant can allocate more nutrients to the remaining parts.
Method 2 of 2: Controlling Sharon's Rose Shrub Size
Step 1. Remove the growing seed pods before they open
Look for the seed pods in the center of the large leaf clumps. When you find it, cut it under the stem with sharp cutting shears. Remove the pods where they will not come into contact with the soil.
- Handle the seed pods carefully so they don't open accidentally.
- If the pods are allowed to grow to maturity, eventually the seeds will fall and scatter throughout the yard or garden. As a result, you will have a small “forest” filled with unwanted sharon roses.
Step 2. Reduce the height of the plant
As the rose of sharon develops, it has a tendency to grow upwards rather than sideways. You can solve this problem by focusing on the branches that stick out more than the others at the top of the clump. To make sure the plant looks good, trim it into a shallow V or round the top of the clump, instead of making it look flat.
- For a more natural look, prune each branch at a different height.
- If sharon roses are left untreated, their average size can grow to a height of 2.5-4 meters.
Step 3. Shape the sharon rose according to its surroundings
Trim excess growth from the bottom and sides of the clump so that the plant is more suited to the area in which it is located. Remember, you can leave up to of the entire plant without damaging it. So, don't be afraid to cut heavily if necessary.
- Proper shaping can make plants sticking out of place, blocking roads, or taking over adjacent crop fields easier to manage.
- The cut flowering branches will soon bloom again the following season.
Step 4. Prune the rosebush of sharon to form a tree
Identify the point at the base of the clump, where the largest trunk branches off. After that, use long-handled shears or a pruning saw to cut all the smaller branches around it to half the height of the new main stem. When finished, the previously lush clump will now be neat, upright, and similar to a burrow or Japanese maple.
- Remove new branches on the main branch as soon as they start growing to maintain the new shape of the plant.
- While the sharon rose is technically a flowering shrub, many gardeners prefer to grow it as a small tree to make it easier to care for.
- A sharon rose that is shaped like a tree will be very useful especially if your yard or garden is narrow and there is no room for growing large shrubs.
Tips
- The rose of sharon is the name of several different species. However, in most parts of the world, the name most often refers to Hibiscus syriacus, a plant in the hibiscus (hibiscus) family.
- Sharon roses are able to survive with very little intake. This means that most of the trimming you do is purely for aesthetic purposes.
- Depending on the size and age of the plant, you may need to give it a little maintenance every few seasons or you may want to ignore it for years.
- Before pruning sharon roses, make sure the pruning tool used is sharp. If your pruner doesn't cut cleanly and easily, sharpen it first.
- Sterilize pruning tools before and after routine pruning. You should also sterilize it when you want to move to another plant if the plant being pruned is diseased.
- Always wear thick gardening gloves when pruning plants to help protect your hands and strengthen your grip.
