February 20, 2009 · Deer perennials / Hibiscus

Deer damage to Rose of Sharon

The deer have nibbled off many of the branches of two Rose of Sharon bushes. Can I trim the branches now to make it look better or should I wait? Some of the branches were eaten almost to the ground and I am afraid that it will look bad as well as take away from branches that will grow.

Late winter before bud break is a good time to prune your Rose of Sharon, Althea (Hibiscus syriacus) . They are moderate growers but will fill in nicely after the severe pruning by deer. Cut out any dead branches and try to even out all the stems so you don’t have an odd shaped shrub. They bloom on the current seasons growth  (new growth), therefore should reward you with lots of flowers in late summer.

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9 Comments

  1. Matthyew Jayson Fritch - April 22, 2009 at 9:07 am

    I found this site helpful. We have a lot of deer as well. I would like to know idea’s how to keep our Rose Of Sharon looking nice , I will keep a eye out.

    Reply
  2. Helen - June 9, 2009 at 4:20 pm

    When is the best time to prune a rose of sharon plant? Is it true that flowers bloom only on new growths of a rose of sharon plant?

    The best time to prune your Rose of Sharon(Hibiscus syriacus) is in late winter or early spring in the northern climates, otherwise the plant does bloom on new growth and therefore pruning can be done anytime of the year. Frequent pruning will give you less but larger flowers whereas none or little pruning will give you many little flowers.

    Reply
  3. Melissa - June 9, 2009 at 4:23 pm

    i live in ohio and i have an outdoor hardy hibiscus-i cut it back last fall and now, so far, it looks dead-will it come around or did i kill it?

    Hi Melissa
    Not sure which hardy hibiscus you have Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon) or Hibiscus moscheutos (Perennial hibiscus). Pruning would not kill either. Scratch the bark and see if there is some green in the stem, if so then it’s still alive. You may have Hibiscus moscheutos . They produce diner plate size flowers and the stems die back to the ground. It won’t come back until late spring when the soil warms up and blooms in late summer.

    Reply
  4. james r.hallene - October 27, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    i have a rose fo sharen bush 5 years old and this year i had chewing insect on the top leaves. i could not locate the insect, do you have any suggestions where to look?.ihave 40 that are 3 years old and were not touched by insects or deer. thanx jim.

    Hi James
    One insect that comes to mind is the Japanese beetle. I don’t know if you get them where you live. They are done chewing on leaves and are in the ground hibernating as grubs at this time.

    Reply
  5. Cathy Aragon - September 15, 2012 at 9:00 am

    I have some lovely ROS I’m willing to send seeds to anyone who can trade for yellow trumpet vine seeds! I have white chiffon and sugar tip.

    Reply
  6. Michelle McKey - July 14, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    Something is eating the stems off my rose if Sharon where the stem looks sawed off at an angle. What could it be?

    Hi Michelle
    Rabbits will chew small stems off at a sharp 45 degree angle. If the damage is at 6ft, then it’s possible that deer are browsing in your yard. They tend to rip the stems leaving ragged edges.

    Reply
  7. Cindy Johnson - November 26, 2017 at 7:27 pm

    I have 4 15 year old Rose of Sharon bushes in an enclosed yard. I went out to check the yard and found one bush gone and another half eaten from the bottom. All bushes are around 12 to 14 feet tall and have large branches like small trees. I have never had a problem before and the bushes have grown fairly wild with little maintenance needed. What could be eating them like this. Almost looks like a Beaver, but I live in the city and no water is near by.

    Reply
  8. Cindy Johnson - November 26, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    I have 4 15 year old Rose of Sharon bushes in an enclosed yard. I went out to check the yard and found one bush gone and another half eaten from the bottom. All bushes are around 12 to 14 feet tall and have large branches like small trees. I have never had a problem before and the bushes have grown fairly wild with little maintenance needed. What could be eating them like this? Almost looks like a Beaver, but I live in the city and no water is near by.

    Reply
  9. Hilary - June 13, 2018 at 8:10 pm

    I received a purple calla lily last October. I read up on the care and did as instructed. I let it die back, let it go dormant, and towards the end of winter, I reported in a larger pot, brand new soil, and have been fertilizing every two weeks with a 10-15-10 fertilizer from Miracle Gro. Greenery finally broke through the soil just over a month ago. I have a few leaves right now (standing at about 2.5 feet tall), but have noticed that one of the leaves (not the stem, just the leave itself) is looking a little droopy. Is there a reason for this, or is this normal? I’ve never noticed the leaf to be as droopy before I replanted.

    Reply

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