Rose-of-Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus
non-native
Other Names:
Shrubby Rose Mallow, St. Joseph's Rod, Korean Rose, Syrian Ketmia
Rose-of-Sharon is a non-native bush from India and East Asia. It is considered invasive in a number of states, because it crowds out native plants. It became common in British gardens as early as the 1500s, and it was widely used in American gardens by the 1700s. It is the national flower of South Korea, and the country is compared to the flower in South Korea's national anthem. Rose-of-Sharon is a character in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, and the plant has been mentioned in songs by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Kate Bush, and many others. It is not in the rose family. "Sharon" is the Hebrew word for "plain", as in a large flat area of land.
Identification Tools
Go Botany
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States
Invasive.org
Ranges
Return to the Index