I have a Rose of Sharon in a large pot. I just purchased it in early summer and kept it outside all summer. I don't have a good place to plant it so I wonder if anyone has experience with it being kept in a pot. Not sure if I can leave it outside? Any suggestions?
Re: Rose of Sharon winter care I'm not sure about your zone, but where I am in BC, zone 7ish my Rose of Sharon that I started fron seed several years ago, have lived in containers outside year round successfully. I brought a couple into the greenhouse in the early spring last year. It helped them leaf out earlier, but otherwise made no difference.
Re: Rose of Sharon winter care I don't know about the pot, but our Rose of Sharron has thrived outdoors for 29 years with no special attention. This is Zone 7a. I would guess that yours will do ok if kept watered. Ray
Rose of Sharon can survive outside in Zone 7 without too much protection fuss. However, it may need some reasonable amount of mulch in Zone 6 for winter protection for the roots. In Zone 5 it will require more protection with thick mulch that need to be removed as soon as the local trees begin sprouting leaves in the spring so that the soil can start warming up. One has to remember that the stems may die back to the ground level in Zones 6 and 5 and that in some cold areas the Rose of Sharon and other plants in the same species may not sprout from the ground until late June. So be patient and don't think of digging out the roots thinking they are dead. However, they may die in these Zones if not properly mulched. Check your plant hardiness zone for your location.
Best to plunge the pot into the ground then mulch around it. Just mulching around the pot without putting it into the ground will probably kill the roots in your zone. Once things warm up again in spring, it can come out again. For Ottawa-Zone 5a, there are a few hardier cultivars out there that may not die back as often for you. In Kingston (5b), dieback rarely occurs & only on select cultivars. My seed grown 'Diane' (crossed with self) does OK but the unnamed blue variety down the street is 8' tall, has lost no more than 5" of tip growth in 1 of the last 8 winters, and self seeds with abandon (which then do well themselves). I'm trialling seedlings in my garden & have extras?? PM me if your interested....all I will want in return is a brief perfomance report. Simon
Simon Thanks for the offer. Yes, I am interested in the spare seedling that you may have. I will PM you soon. I will think of something in exchange besides the performance report you mentioned.