I pulled a lawn chair behind the bush one day and spent an hour or so watching to see what visitors I could make out. I soon discovered that rose of Sharon attracts a variety of pollinators, such as flies, wasps, and hummingbirds, in addition to butterflies.
Tiny songbirds darted in and out of the cover provided by the branches, while dragonflies perched on them. It was astounding how this one little shrub was simultaneously serving as a food source and a haven for numerous garden species.
Rose of Sharon is native to Asia and is often grown in zones 5–8 in the United States. It grows easily in most soil types and seasons and blooms from summer to October.
It can be left to grow wild or trimmed into a hedge or tree. Ask a friend or neighbor for a stem cutting to root, or search your neighborhood garden center for a variety of cultivars.
If others have let you down, this is the hibiscus you should grow. The upright shrub can grow up to 12 feet tall under the correct circumstances, making it a great privacy screen or focus point.