Propagation

• Rose of Sharon is usually propagated by stem cuttings and seeds. It's not uncommon to find a small forest of seedlings near the plant. Hibiscus syriacus also spreads by underground rhizomes that send up shoots or suckers. These suckers can be removed from the parent plant and transplanted elsewhere in the garden.
  
  

Transplanting

• Transplanting is best done in the spring, as young plants aren't as hardy as mature specimens. Transplanting early gives the shrub time to become well-established before cold weather.
  
  

Growing Tips

• Rose of Sharon is late to leaf out in the spring, so don't assume it hasn't survived the winter until warm weather is fully established. It blooms on the current season's growth, and pruning produces fewer but larger flowers. Newer cultivars from the U.S. National Arboretum such as Helene and Aphrodite produce few fruit, so seedlings are less of a nuisance.