Sugar Tip Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus 'America Irene Scott' SUGAR TIP)
hy-BIS-kus seer-ee-AY-kus 'America Irene Scott' SUGAR TIP

Deciduous Perennial Shrub in the Malvaceae Family
Colorful foliage all season, and fluffy pink blooms in summer!

Hibiscus syriacus 'America Irene Scott' SUGAR TIP (US Plant Patent 20,579) is a Rose of Sharon cultivar valued as much for its brightly variegated creamy-white and bluish-green foliage as for its clear pink, double flowers, which do not set seed. It forms a deciduous, upright shrub 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, blooming on new wood in early, mid, and late summer.

Easy to grow in average garden soil; prefers full sun (variegation can be most vivid with some protection from the hottest afternoon sun). Winter hardy through zone 5a. Non-seeding, unlike many older Rose of Sharon cultivars.

Pros

  • Striking variegated foliage, attractive spring through fall
  • Clear pink, double blooms
  • Non-seeding -- won't spread unwanted seedlings

Cons

  • Deciduous -- bare in winter
  • Each flower lasts only a day
  • Blooms only on new wood, so hard pruning timing matters
Highlights A patented Rose of Sharon prized for its brightly variegated creamy-white-and-green foliage along with clear pink, double, non-seeding blooms.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 5 - 6 feet tall. 4 - 6 feet wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet
Zones 5a - 8b (Usually hardy to -20° F)
Tags Adaptable, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Colorful Foliage, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Extended Bloom Time, Flowering Tree, Formal Garden, Foundation, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rain Garden, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Reblooms, Showy Flowers, Shrub, Thrillers, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Salt, Well-Drained Soil, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant Pink Flowering Shrubs
Flower Color Pink
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 05/17
2024 : 02/08 - 05/18
2023 : 03/02 - 05/21

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!