Can a Blue Chiffon Rose of Sharon be trained to climb over an arbor? How? Mine gets only about 4 hours of sun; will it survive? Thanks!
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners.
Hibiscus syriacus “Notwoodthee’ Blue Chiffon or Blue Chiffon Rose of Sharon is a vigorous, upright, vase-shaped, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that typically grows 8-12’ tall, spreading 4-6’. It may be trained as a small tree or espalier on a wall or fence, but it does not naturally grow as a vine over an arbour. So the idea of using this shrub for such an application is not recommended. Perhaps you have an alternative location to move it in full sun as it is an excellent flowering shrub that may be massed, planted in groups or used as a specimen. It is a good choice for foundations and shrub borders and also is effective as a hedge or screen.
Rose of Sharon is easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade with best flowering occurring in full sun. Given that your plant gets 4 hours of sun per day in its current location, is should survive, but in these conditions, it will not bloom to the maximum. It can tolerate poor soils and some drought well and is hardy to USDA Zone 5 (e.g. Canadian Zone 6). Since it is borderline hardy in Toronto, it is best to give it a sheltered location to protect from winter kill.