‘Blue Bird’

‘Blue Bird’ Rose of Sharon

A member of the mallow family, ‘Blue Bird’ Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) blooms from late July through August and thrives in heat and humidity. Best of all, with its large, flat blossoms and nectar, it attracts hummingbirds and the tiny insects that hummingbirds feed on. Butterflies and bees love them, too.

Introduced in 1958, ‘Blue Bird,’ has big, 3-inch, stunningly beautiful, violet-blue flowers with magenta throats and ivory stamens. A medium-sized, vase shaped shrub, ‘Blue Bird’ grows 8 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. It can be grown as a small tree or pruned to size.

‘Blue Bird’ Rose of Sharon loves full sun and wants to be in the sunniest site you can give it, but keep the soil moderately moist and well mulched, especially in hot weather. Just before ‘Blue Bird’ is ready to flower, I give it a boost with manure tea, but a 3-inch layer of compost used as a mulch will do the same. Note: ‘Blue Bird’ is deciduous, its leaves emerge late in spring, so have patience and don’t assume it is dead.