Botanical Name – Hibiscus syriacus Common Name – rose of Sharon

Location – Mid-way on the east side of the Garden, near the fence. (Photos by Aleks Monk) 

Hibiscus syriacus is a large, hardy, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with showy hibiscus-shaped flowers. Native to China and India, despite its botanical name, this shrub has been cultivated for hundreds of years. It flowers in late summer and fall, a time when most other shrubs are no longer in bloom. 

The flowers have 5 petals, and in the wild they are usually white, pink, or light purple, often with a darker eye. The Seattle Japanese Garden’s plant has white flowers with red markings in the throat. Flowers are short-lived, but mature plants produce many flowers. In Japan, this species is known as mukuge, and has been used to symbolize the impermanence of beauty. 

Photo by Mary Ann Cahill

Not common in Japanese gardens, Hibiscus syriacus has been used there as a hedge, in a row or mass planting, and next to buildings. Fibers from the bark were used for making paper. Flower buds are edible, leaves were brewed as a tea substitute, and various plant parts have been used for medicinal purposes. 

Some hibiscus species, including Hibiscus mutabilis (fuyō) and Hibiscus hamabo (hamabō), are native to Japan. However, they are less hardy than H. syriacus and generally unsuitable for planting in the Pacific Northwest. 

Colored ink drawing of Hibiscus syriacus flowers and leaves, 1870s.     (image: Library of Congress Japanese Fine Prints, pre-1915)