I really enjoy my Hibiscus shrubs. These go by several names, including Hibiscus syriacus, Rose of Sharon, or Hibiscus Rose. I have three single-flowered ones and five double-flowered. They all start flowering some time in June, I think, and they keep going quite well through September. The photo at left is from last year in September, and these shrubs are flowering like this right now as well. I thought this might be Hibiscus syriacus ‘Aphrodite’ or ‘Minerva’ but those are supposed to be sterile hybrids, and these do produce seed pods.
I also have five double-flowered specimens — one has a darker flower than the other four (they’re supposed to make a little hedge, but the nursery made a mistake, and one doesn’t fit in):
These double ones seem to bloom thicker for a longer period than the singles, and I think it’s because the double ones I have are sterile. I’ve never seen a seed pod on them. That allows them to spend more energy on new flowers, since they’re not producing seed. I believe the darker one is the ‘Lucy’ variety but I’m not sure what the lighter one is.
Well, I need to eat my words somewhat. I noticed this fall that the double-flowered Hibiscus shrubs quit flowering about a month ago, and the single-flowered ones were still blooming up until this week.
Also, my single-flowered shrubs just might be ‘Minerva’ or ‘Aphrodite’ because they don’t set as many seed as my old-fashioned ones did in Sacramento. Even the sterile hybrids or triploids are said to set some small quantities of seed on occasion.