small bulbs? As in attached to the roots, or another plant?

Not attached but surrounding the root system. Hundreds of them! I suppose they're seeds/bulbs but I've never seen this before nor have I been able to find anything about bulbs and rose of sharon.

I know alot of people think of the Rose of Sharon as a weed, I myself love them. I planted some my Mother gave me before she passed on and it did great for a few years and then died out. Then about a year later I found them in other parts of the garden and yard. I have left them. Evidently they will reseed where they want to be.I personally have never found any bulbs around the root system. How long have you had the Rose of Sharon? Did you just plant them or were they already there? Do these bulbs bloom in the spring?If they do are they Blue?Sounds interesting. keep us informed.BTW. If you want a beautiful fast growing privacy hedge,The Rose of Sharon is the way to go.

These are all volunteers. I had at least 50 or more counting the tiny seedlings probably 200 in my yard. To say I'm sick of digging Rose of Sharon would be an understatement! LOL They've been there about 15 years maybe. I let them grow as they were as you said a hedge but they kept spreading and were all over my lawn. The ROS are white, pink and blue.

These bulbs are really rather small some tiny and some as large as a penny. I've never seen any blooms from them. the only way I even knew they were there is when I began to dig up all the ROS. They only appear at the base of some of the ROS surrounding the roots. These bulbs were near the roots of the larger plants. I cant call them shrubs as they looked like small trees. Its very odd as I said I've done a search and have never seen any reference to these bulbs re rose of sharon.

I've never heard about the bulbs either. Then again, I've never dug around the roots of an established ROS.
But I hear you about the seedlings. There are 8 million for every flower, it seems.

There are sterile varieties, and I think when I get a place of my own, that's the way I'll go.

I do love the way they look, though. Mine are trimmed to look like trees, and are a good 10-12'. Cracks me up to see people buying them in the garden center. They obviously don't know many gardeners; there's always someone with a plant and a village of volunteers to pass around!

Best way to rid your self of rose of sharon is never let them bloom. I had all knds of rose of sharon I kept digging and pulling [early in spring is most important..I have no rose of sharon..Thank goodness!

Getting rid of them completely is not that difficult.

Keeping just one in your yard is an never-ending task.....

Hi Amnesia (cute name)- I can't help you with the ROS- I just always hop on here and say hello and welcome to any Kentuckian I see post!

I 'stop by' here frequently, but mostly hang out at the winter sowing and cottage garden forums- nice folks here on GW- helpful and friendly..

just wanted to say Happy Gardening!
Linda in Louisville

ah.. Louisville is about an hour and a half from me. Nice to 'see' another Kentuckian!

Thanks!

Amnesia:

Hello from another KYian (Georgetown/Louisville axis).

Good chance that your ROS seeded into a bed of some kind of bulbous plant, and the bulbs are now suppressed by the shading and competition of the vigorous ROS.

Plant some of the bulbs out elsewhere, and see what grows. Could very well be something like Ornithogalum (Star of Bethlehem) or some other minor bulb, given the size you described.

As mentioned, ROS seeds itself in everywhere allowed. If you inherited this landscape, more than likely it previously went through a period of neglect when the ROS got its foothold. Amongst a bed of bulb foliage would be a natural place, as is along fences, shrub rows, etc. Alternatively, if the ROS (as in chicken) came first, then maybe the Ornithogalum (or whatever) seeds came next and became ensconced.

Let us know what sprouts.

Possibly. It was just so weird that the bulbs were only surrounding the roots of some of the ROS. I've got them all dug out (what a job) and there are some of the bulbs still in the ground. (I couldnt get them all) and I'll see what sprouts and let everyone know.

Well I found out what the bulbs are, they're WILD ONIONS. They never came thru the soil when the ROS were growing. Odd that they only collected around the roots of the ROS. Weird. I have tons if anyone wants any LOL!

Darn, and I had hoped you would come up with some heirloom minor bulb that you'd want to trade with.

Salad time, with ranch dressing.