ShadeZone
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Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:03 am
Location: Pacific NW

Rose of Sharon a Goner?

We have a Rose of Sharon that's very mature and was heavily damaged by wet snow last winter. Originally it was 15 ft. high and across. It spread apart so far and cracked/split so bad we lost half of it. Now that it's summer what's left of it is starting to spread under the weight of foliage. About a third of it is now touching the top of the fence and I'm concerned it will get worse. I'm not sure what to do. The hummingbirds love that thing and I hate to loose it.

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rainbowgardener
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I would wait until fall and then cut it back pretty hard. Stake up what is left to help straighten it.

Rose of Sharon is quite tough and hardy; it will probably be fine. If you wanted to, you could probably cut it all down to the ground and it would come back from the roots.

Bobberman
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Posts: 2437
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Latrobe Pa.

I am suprised you don't have alot of small ones coming up! I would do do what others say and trim it and straighten it up and I should be fine! I have pulled them out by the roots and transplanted and they were fine. I have about 200 hundred here want some! I have lots of tall 5 footers that are thin but have flowers in shady areas! My favorite bush and it makes anice hedge! Lots of people give them away free since they have so many. Look around your area and see. They come in threee colors and some of the catalogs will sell you ones that have all three colors in on bush! They are pretty cheap like $5 for a 3 footer!

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!potatoes!
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Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:13 pm
Location: wnc - zones 6/7 line

looks like there's already some coming up from the cut half. my vote is also for severe cutting. they come back from almost anything.



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