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There appears to be something wrong with some of the leaves. And some of the buds have weird looking dead stuff hanging off of them. Any advice?

[img]https://tinypic.com/et89k6.jpg[/img]
[img]https://tinypic.com/et89s6.jpg[/img]

Rose of Sharon

Thats what it looks like to me. The first picture was a little misleading for me, looked like a tree, but the second picture sure looks like rose of sharon seed pods, mine look exactly like that!

I'm sorry, I didnt read what you had posted.

Mine always have weird looking turd-like things hanging off of the seed pods this time of year, however, mine never have brown on the tips of the leaves.

Rose of Sharons are tough!

Looks more like a yellowing to me. Might possibly be a nitrogen deficiency. One possible solution could be addition of some manure. But, let's wait and see what some others might say

Great! I'm not qualified to have a "tough" plant...

Oh my! You are so ready to be defeated, you are already accepting it, and it hasn't happened!!
I'm not sure that Chad meant "tough" in the same way you took it. I think he might have been telling you that it was a pretty tough plant and could take it.
I'm seeing many of the same problems with this plant, as I saw on your roses, and I think if you try the things I have suggested for your roses on this Rose of Sharon, you will see it pick up as well.
You might also want to take a scan through the other forums, as there are quite a few threads that deal with Rose of Sharon plants, and they may give you some ideas.
Also, I'm not sure that I mentioned it in my reply to you in the rose forum, but you should probably check the ph of your soil in several different parts. Roses should be at a ph level of 5.8 - 6.8, while Rose of Sharon prefer it to be between 6.1 and 6.5. It make a lot of difference if you have a plant in soil that is too acidic or too alkaline for it's liking.
Hope some of this helps - and don't be so ready to accept defeat!! It's all a learning process - something we all keep doing every single day!
VAL

Rose of Sharons are tough plants, as in they are strong and can take just about anything.

I just looked at mine and about half of mine look just like the pictures you posted and they always come back strong every spring because they are tough plants.

OH GOOD!!! I am glad to hear that you meant the plant is tough!!
You are right VAL, I need a more positive attitude.
I sprayed some neem oil on the Rose of Sharon today. Should I put some of my rose tea on it? I will test my soil as well...

Yep! Put the rose tea on it too. Actually that tea is good for all sorts of plants. It works very well on clematis as well.
I think your Rose of Sharon could use a good addition of compost, well rotted manure, etc. as well.
Growing plants is alot about the soil - if you get that right, the plants can't help but grow!
VAL

Those "turds" are just spent flowers dried on, and this plant is famous as a hungry feeder, so dump on the nutrients! You needn't worry about this one Almaler. You would need to burn it down to kill it...

HG

wow!resize those pics!(rose of sharon for sure!)

Actually, given the location, I'm still not convinced it isn't a hibiscus, though they are very much related. Hard to tell - hibiscus tend to have a bush habit, and the blooms are a little different. Rose of Sharon is more like a tree, with a growth habit that reminds me of a Crape Myrtle, depending upon how it is pruned.

Grey, Rose of Sharon is a hibiscus! (Hibiscus syriacus) SO...you're right, but so is everyone else...

Scott

Well, they are related, but from what I know, if you took my Florida Hawaii-type hibiscus up north, it would freeze to death. In northern Florida, you had to be careful with frost - make sure the plant stays warm at least 5 inches above the soil line, or you will lose your hibiscus.

Rose of Sharon goes dormant. Hibiscus doesn't.

Yes but the tropicals always show that column in the center...

Mallows and orchids are the only two groups of plants that have combined their reproductive structures (pistil and stamens) into a single structure called a column. The column is clearly visible protruding from the center of all mallow flowers. This is not at all pronounced in most H. syriacus (the National Arboretum intros, all named for Greek goddesses, are an exception as they are crossed with H. rosa-sinensis, thus single blooms), but is quite visible in species like H. moscheutos or your tropical H. rosa-sinensis.

While I feel Alma's pics are Rose-of-Sharon, the big leaf on TD's image could well be the tropical type...anyway, a big genus (even we New Englanders have a native) and all hungry feeders...

Scott

A tropical hibiscus has to be taken indoors when it gets cold but the hardy hibiscus can stay outdoors up North.

Don't forget the perennial hibiscus as well; the only one native around me...dies to the ground but comes back every year...HUGE flowers...

Now I've REALLY confused the issue...



HG