Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
karen64_gw

Sterile seeds.....volunteers on ground?

karen64
17 years ago

I grow a few different rose of sharon and hardy hibiscus. Fairly certain I was told my rose of sharon "Freedom" has sterile seeds. I have a dinner plate hibiscus in a planter nearby and I have some wild rose of sharon's farther in the back. There are a bunch of baby rose of sharon's popping up on the ground underneath the "Freedom" rose of sharon. Can I assume these are true "Freedom" rose of sharon? Thanks!

Comments (2)

  • plantsofheaven
    17 years ago

    No. Freedom has sterile seeds but will produce seeds if it is crossed with another variety of rose of sharon that does not have sterile seeds. The seeds that freedom will produce when crossed with different variety will have different blooms because it will have the genetics of both the freedom rose of sharon and whatever it is crossed with. The only way you can get another freedom rose of sharon is by rooting cuttings.Hope this helps! Let me know if you need further help.
    Mike

  • karen64
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    thanks mike. that's really interesting and I have one potted up to see what I get. I do root cuttings each year, this is the first time I have had volunteers from this particular rose of sharon. Speaking of rooting, would you happen to know what success I might have rooting Hibiscus Fireball in water? It is a rose mallow and so far they are hanging in there on the window sill but no roots yet. A few leaves died but alot still going. Would this "fireball" rose mallow cross with the ROS Freedom?

Sponsored