Rose of Sharon

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Syrian Ketmia
• Syrian hibiscus
• rose-of-Sharon
• shrub-althaea
• Rose of Sharon
• common hibiscus
• Rose of Sharon (USA)

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ketmia syriaca
• Hibiscus rhombifolius
• Hibiscus arborescens
• Hibiscus chinensis
• Althaea frutex
• Hibiscus syriacus var. purpureus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. micranthus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. ruber
• Hibiscus syriacus var. albus
• Hibiscus acerifolius
• Hibiscus syriacus var. variegatus
• Hibiscus floridus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. amplissimus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. marginatus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. brevibracteatus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. alboplenus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. chinensis
• Hibiscus syriacus var. purpureoplenus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. elegantissimus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. grandiflorus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. longibracteatus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. paeoniiflorus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. sinensis
• Hibiscus syriacus var. totoalbus
• Hibiscus syriacus var. violaceus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malvales, it is classified under the family Malvaceae and is identified by the genus Hibiscus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a notable presence across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution can be observed within the borders of Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found growing in the landscapes of Austria and Belgium. It also maintains a significant presence throughout the territories of Czechia-Slovakia. Finally, its geographical reach extends across the expansive regions of Germany.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hibiscus syriacus is characterized by its ability to thrive across diverse topographical gradients, predominantly occupying lowland habitats. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, with its presence recorded from a minimum elevation of 300 m AMSL to a maximum of 2300 m AMSL. While the species is frequently found in lower-lying areas, its ecological niche extends significantly into higher terrains, maintaining a mean elevational range of approximately 2600 m AMSL throughout its naturalized or native distributions.

Elevational range max:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

300 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Hibiscus syriacus is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence in its ecological niche through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its buds well above the ground level, allowing it to develop robust woody structures that define its growth habit. This plant follows a deciduous cycle, meaning it sheds its foliage annually in response to seasonal changes, entering a period of dormancy before regenerating its leaves and blooms each spring. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a phanerophyte life form, and deciduous behavior allows the species to endure varying environmental conditions while maintaining a consistent structural presence in its habitat.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hibiscus syriacus is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub that functions as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or liana. It is a terrestrial species that grows independently, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant vertical development, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 1.5 m to a maximum of 4 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 3.375 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Plant height mean:

3.375 m

Plant height min:

1.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hibiscus syriacus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant exhibits a non-succulent morphology, lacking specialized water-storage tissues in its vegetative structures. Its foliar dimensions show significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a mean of 6.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 10 cm. Complementing this, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 4 cm. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on soil-available nitrogen rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nutritional requirements.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length mean:

6.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hibiscus syriacus is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. The flowering period for this species typically begins in August and extends through September. Following successful pollination, the plant produces seeds with a highly specific mass profile, characterized by a mean seed mass of 0.015675 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.0148 g to a maximum of 0.01692 g. Once mature, the seeds are dispersed via an anemochorous syndrome, utilizing wind as the primary mechanism for spreading to new locations.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Aug

Flowering time :

Sep

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.01692 g

Seed mass mean:

0.015675 g

Seed mass min:

0.0148 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Hibiscus syriacus has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root.

Root

1. Phytochemistry
2. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Hibiscus syriacus has 43 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 2,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-8-methoxy-1-naphthalenecarbaldehyde, ROS, 1,22-Docosanediol, 1-Octacosanol, 3'-Hydroxydaidzein.

2,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-8-methoxy-1-naphthalenecarbaldehyde

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytochemistry

ROS

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

1,22-Docosanediol

1. Dr. Duke

1-Octacosanol

1. Dr. Duke

3'-Hydroxydaidzein

1. Dr. Duke

ANTHOCYANIN

1. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Apigenin-6-C-glucoside-7-O-glucoside

1. Food science & nutrition

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Dr. Duke

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

CATALASE

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Hibiscus syriacus has 71 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, ACE-Inhibitor, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Androgenic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic

1. Dr. Duke

Angiogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Anorexic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antiadenomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiandrogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Hibiscus syriacus has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Diabetes mellitus, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, breast carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, hyperglycemia.

Diabetes mellitus

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

1. Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Breast carcinoma

1. Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Hepatocellular carcinoma

1. Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Hyperglycemia

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Oxidative stress

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Hibiscus syriacus has 4 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include root bark, CE, PE, ethanol extracts.

Root bark

1. Phytochemistry
2. Journal of natural products

Ce

1. Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Pe

1. Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology

Ethanol extracts

1. Experimental & applied acarology