Rose of Sharon 'Oiseau Bleu'

This deciduous shrub is prized for its late-season colour when many other garden plants are beginning to fade. 'Oiseau Bleu' (also known as 'Blue Bird') produces large, trumpet-shaped flowers of a clear violet-blue, each with a distinctive dark red 'eye' at the centre. The flowers are produced in abundance from late summer through to mid-autumn. It has an upright, bushy habit and dark green, deeply lobed leaves. In the UK, it needs a warm, sunny, and sheltered spot to ensure the flower buds open fully, especially in cooler summers. It is quite hardy but can be late to leaf out in the spring, so patience is required. It prefers well-drained, fertile soil and benefits from a mulch in spring. Perfect for adding a Mediterranean feel to a sunny border.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Moist but well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: Aug, Sep, Oct.