Plant Details

Hibiscus syriacus

Rose Of Sharon, Althaea, Shrub Althea, Hardy Hibiscus

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Common names

48 names · 31 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Althaea
  • common hibiscus[2]
  • Hardy Hibiscus
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Rose Of Sharon[1][2]
  • Shrub Althea
Other languages (30)
Dutch
  • Altheaboompje
  • Altheastruik[2]
  • Tuinhibiscus[2]
French
Arabic
  • خطمي سوري[2]
  • خطمية شجرية[2]
Basque
  • Siriako arrosa[2]
Bulgarian
  • Дървовидна ружа[2]
Catalan
  • Hibisc de Síria[2]
  • Malva reial[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • ibišek syrský[2]
Danish
  • Syrisk Rose[2]
Estonian
  • süüria hibisk[2]
Finnish
  • sinihibiskus[2]
German
  • Freiland-Roseneibisch[1]
  • Garten-Hibiskus[2]
  • Gartenhibiskus[2]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Straucheibisch[2]
  • Syrischer Roseneibisch[2]
Greek
  • Αλθαία[2]
  • Ιβίσκος ο συριακός[2]
Hungarian
  • szíriai mályvacserje[2]
Italian
  • Ibisco cinese[2]
  • Ibisco siriaco[2]
Japanese
Korean
Lithuanian
  • Sirinė kinrožė[2]
Polish
  • ketmia syryjska[2]
Portuguese
  • Rosa-da-Síria[2]
Russian
  • Гибискус сирийский[2]
Serbian
  • Sibirski hibiskus[2]
  • Сиријски хибискус[2]
Slovak
  • ibištek krovitý[2]
Spanish
  • Altea[2]
  • rosa de Siria[2]
  • tulipán chino[2]
Swedish
  • frilandshibiskus[2]
Thai
  • ชบาจีน[2]
Tseltal
Turkish
  • ağaç hatmi[2]
Ukrainian
  • Гібіск сирійський[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Hibiscus syriacus L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Rose of Sharon (EN); Freiland-Roseneibisch (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 164052; taxon 3LKBM.
[2] Hibiscus syriacus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • common hibiscus — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Althéa — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Tulipán — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • tulipán chino — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • ムクゲ — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • rosa de Siria — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • ibišek syrský — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • 木槿 — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • 무궁화 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • süüria hibisk — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Гибискус сирийский — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Syrisk Rose — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Rosa-da-Síria — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Straucheibisch — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Ιβίσκος ο συριακός — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Αλθαία — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Garten-Hibiskus — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Gartenhibiskus — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Syrischer Roseneibisch — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • frilandshibiskus — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • 木槿 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • ağaç hatmi — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Ibisco siriaco — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Ibisco cinese — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Sirinė kinrožė — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • ชบาจีน — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • ketmia syryjska — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Altheastruik — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Tuinhibiscus — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • خطمي سوري — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • خطمية شجرية — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Дървовидна ружа — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Гібіск сирійський — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Rose of Sharon — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • szíriai mályvacserje — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Сиријски хибискус — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Sibirski hibiskus — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Malva reial — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Hibisc de Síria — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Altea — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • ibištek krovitý — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • sinihibiskus — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.
  • Siriako arrosa — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 126585; Hibiscus syriacus.

General information

Scientific name: Hibiscus syriacus
Accepted name (Kew): Hibiscus syriacus L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [2] [3]
Botanical family: Malvaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Hibiscus (WCVP v16).

Sources [2]
Also known as: Rose Of Sharon, Althaea, Shrub Althea, Hardy Hibiscus
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Medium
Height: 2.44–3.66 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [1]
Spread: 1.83–3.05 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [1]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [1]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [1]
Growth habit: Erect, Multi-stemmed

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [1]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [1]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Dry, Occasionally Wet

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [1]
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [1]

Uses

Edible parts:
Flowers, Leaves, Oil, Root, Tea
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
None

Description

Young leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked. They have a mild flavor, though they are somewhat tough, but they make a great addition to salads. Tea can be made from the leaves and flowers. Flowers are also suitable for eating raw or cooked; they have a mild flavor and a soft, slimy texture, which makes them appealing in salads. The roots are edible but fibrous and have a rather bland taste, more on the slimy side.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Hibiscus syriacus (Hibiscus, Rose of China, Rose of Sharon, Rose-of-Sharon, Shrub Althea) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: FoliageHeightSpreadGrowth rateGrowth habitLightSoil moistureUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .

  2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 809697; name ID 2849448; Hibiscus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1409506; name ID 2850597; Hibiscus syriacus L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  3. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Hibiscus syriacus

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 366165, ID 3LKBM: Hibiscus syriacus L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .