Hibiscus syriacus 'Marina' BLUE SATIN™ Rose-of-Sharon
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Hibiscus
Hibiscus syriacus is a deciduous shrub from the mallow family (Malvaceae), native to East Asia – especially China, Korea, and India – and one of roughly 300 species in the genus Hibiscus. It reached Europe as early as the late 16th century, with the first recorded cultivation dating back to 1596. The species was scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in his work Species Plantarum. The specific epithet syriacus refers to the fact that the first specimens he studied came from gardens in Syria, although the species does not grow wild there. Interestingly, in South Korea it has become the national flower and a symbol of perseverance, even appearing in the national anthem. I still reckon that it deserves much more attention than what is actually gets because with its long summer flowering in a range of colours that can brighten any garden, I consider it an essential part of a blooming summer garden.
Its common English name says Rose of Sharon, a poetic name borrowed from the biblical Song of Songs (2:1), where the speaker declares: “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” The original Hebrew term referred to a flower growing in the fertile Sharon plain in what is now Israel, but it was almost certainly neither a rose nor a hibiscus. To this day, botanists and historians have not agreed whether it was a lily, narcissus, tulip, or crocus. Yet translations into European languages preserved the name “Rose of Sharon”, and over the centuries it came to be applied to different plants in various parts of the world – for example, in North America to Hibiscus syriacus, and in Britain sometimes even to Hypericum calycinum. This variety of usage is a simple cultural “translation shift”: people attached a familiar, poetically resonant name to plants in their region that resembled the original biblical flower – in appearance, flowering season, or symbolism.
Blue-flowering hibiscus varieties are very popular in gardens. Marina is one of them. It bears medium-large mauve flowers with deep burgundy red centres that have conspicuous veins along the flower tepals. Stigmas are creamy white which makes an adorable contrast with the flower colour. Marina is ideal for combinations with yellow-flowering lower shrubs.
It has very decorative leaves that are unique. They are medium large, 7-8 cm long, narrowly palmate, 3-lobed with one lobe deeply cut, mid to dark green and coarsely toothed. If they turn yellow in summer the plant manifests too much water at the roots. They are either over-watered or planted in too heavy, water-logged soil that might cause serious problems. Hibiscus is a typical example of a plant where the borderline between favourably moist soil (which they need) and wet soil can be tricky.
Last update 18-08-2010
Regular pruning of Rose-of-Sharon is not ideal, because the plants naturally form attractive shrubs when grown in sufficiently moist soil. Nevertheless, many growers recommend annual pruning to obtain larger flowers. The drawback is that radically shortened shrubs bloom later, and some cultivars produce rather soft new shoots that may bend. The only pruning I recommend is reducing an already large, mature shrub, always in early spring before budbreak, and you can cut it back by up to 80%.
As for soil type, hibiscus is fairly undemanding. Only older plants dislike peat when being repotted. The soil must in any case be reasonably well‑drained, moderately fertile but not over‑fertilised. They love water, so as long as you make sure that newly planted specimens do not drown, you can place them even where they will have a good chance to drink well during the growing season. To improve flower set and flower size, you may use selective phosphorus‑based fertilisers (for flower formation), but it is not necessary. Place it in full sun — it requires strong, direct exposure. Like most summer‑flowering shrubs it leafs out rather late, so there is no need for concern if the plant shows no signs of life even in April. Fully hardy to at least –27 °C, and likely tolerates even stronger frost. Not suitable for containers.
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- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
