Hi orcascove,
I have a little trick that will help you see what the immature pods look like. Look at your bush and find a flower in bloom. Take a bright piece of ribbon or something similar and loosely tie it to the stem below the flower. Just make sure it's loose so as not to damage the stem. Once the flower has been pollinated and falls off, you will still know exactly where the developing seed pod is. You will now be able to watch the pod as it matures and turns from green to brown. Once it turns completely brown, watch for signs that it is starting to break open. It will be ready for you to gather seeds. I don't know how old your bushes are, but trust me, they will produce a lot of seeds. Usually, you can start looking for ripe pods from the end of summer into fall. Hope this helps you out.
BTG

BTG - The Rose of Sharon where here when I bought the house, so I have no idea how old they are either (at least 7 years). And since I didn't plant them, they weren't something I knew anything about. But they certainly are pretty. Your information is great. I had no idea that the pods formed where the flower bloom fell off at, now I know where to look. Thanks so much for replying!!