Overview
Uses: Mixed borders, outdoor containers, specimen plantings, and pollinator gardens.
Benefits: The original dwarf Lil’ Kim®, with white flowers marked by a bold red eye from midsummer into fall, when most shrubs are done blooming. Stays about 3–4 feet tall, so it fits small gardens and large containers. Pairs well with the Red and Violet Lil’ Kim® colors.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright, Rounded — dwarf and compact.
Bloom Color: White, Red
Foliage Color: Green
Mature Height: 3–4 feet
Mature Width: 3–4 feet
Bloom Season: Summer, Fall
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Bold red-eyed white flowers from midsummer into fall, on a rose of Sharon a fraction of the usual size.
Most rose of Sharon grow into large shrubs well over head height. Lil’ Kim® stays about three to four feet tall and wide, small enough for a mixed border, a foundation bed, or a large container. This is the original Lil’ Kim®, with white flowers marked by a bold red eye at the center.
Flowers open from midsummer into fall, a time when most shrubs have finished blooming. Each bloom lasts about a day, but new buds keep opening for weeks, so the plant stays in color through the hottest part of the season.
Bees visit the open, saucer-shaped flowers. It pairs well with Lil’ Kim® Red and Lil’ Kim® Violet for a mix of colors at the same compact size.
Care
Lil’ Kim® Rose of Sharon Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Full sun gives the most flowers; in partial shade it blooms more lightly.
Rose of Sharon grows in most well-drained soils, including clay, and handles summer heat well. Avoid spots where water stands after rain.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants tolerate short dry spells, but water during long droughts, since drought stress can cause buds to drop before they open.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in spring is plenty.
Rose of Sharon blooms on new growth, so prune in late winter or early spring before it leafs out. Light shaping is all this compact selection usually needs. It is one of the last shrubs to leaf out in spring, so give it until late spring before judging any stem dead.
Growing in Containers
Its dwarf size suits a large patio container. Use a pot with open drainage holes and a quality potting mix. Container plants dry out faster than plants in the ground, so check moisture often in summer heat, and feed lightly each spring, since frequent watering washes nutrients from the mix. Roots in containers experience greater cold exposure than roots in the ground. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Lil’ Kim® Rose of Sharon for Sale Online?
Our Lil’ Kim® Rose of Sharon ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Lil’ Kim® Rose of Sharon Grow?
Expect about 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, in an upright, rounded shape. Space plants about 3 feet apart for a low hedge or grouping.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Lil’ Kim® Rose of Sharon?
The botanical name is Hibiscus syriacus Lil’ Kim® ‘Antong Two’. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub.
What are some common names for this plant?
It is most often called rose of Sharon, and is also sold as shrub althea or simply althea.
Why hasn’t it leafed out yet in spring?
Rose of Sharon is naturally one of the latest shrubs to break dormancy, often staying bare until late spring while everything around it is green. That is normal. Scratch a stem with a fingernail; green tissue underneath means it is alive and simply waiting for warmer weather.
How does it compare with the other Lil’ Kim® colors?
Lil’ Kim® Red and Lil’ Kim® Violet share the same compact size and late-summer bloom time, so all three can be planted together for a mixed-color hedge or grouping. This original form carries white flowers with a red eye. For more summer-blooming shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
