Hibiscus syriacus 'Gandini Santiago' FLOWER TOWER PURPLE (syn. PURPLE PILLAR)

Rose-of-Sharon deserves more attention for its abundant flowering in summer. These maintenance-free shrubs come from eastern Asia and are the inevitable ingredient of every summer garden which they highlight with a wide range of coloured flowers. There has been a number of cultivars available since its discovery. They have various bloom colours, shapes and sizes, as well as variegated leaves.

The columnar-growing rRose-of-Sharon originated from unnamed seedlings at the Italian nursery Gandini, where the owner showed them to Maria and Adrienne van Aart of the Dutch nursery Van Aart Boomkwekerijen in 2013. They agreed to take some plants back to Holland for further examination and propagation. After two years they selected 15 plants which gave rise to 3 beautiful varieties and later on a new series was created for them: FLOWER TOWER. FLOWER TOWER PURPLE is the very first of them which was selected by the Italian nursery owner Francesco Gandini yet before the Dutch visit, and initially sold named as ‚Gandini Santiago‘ PURPLE PILLAR. It was granted EU patent No. 38302 in 2014.

FLOWER TOWER PURPLE is an upright and slender growing variety of rose-of-Sharon with large, single flowers with a few toussled sepals in the centre. They are lilac-pink with a large maroon eye which takes up more than 50% of the flower surface, producing numerous rays across the petals towards the margins. Their diameter is 8-10 cm and they come out from mid-July until September if the bush is strong enough. Their quantity and size is directly proportional to the age and strength of the plant. They come out reliably every year in July and don’t stop blooming until all buds have gone - sometimes by end September.

It has very decorative leaves that are unique. They are shallowly lobed, palmate, mid to dark green and coarsely toothed. If they turn yellow in summer the plant manifests too much water at the roots. They are either over-watered or planted in too heavy soil where it has not established yet.

Pruning is an issue that always gets me started here. Hard pruning leads to larger flowers, that's true, but also production of long, immature, flexible twigs. The only cut I recommend is such that rejuvenates old plans – prune it hard in early spring by 50-75 % and let it grow for another 10 years or so. Slender and columnar habit of the FLOWER TOWER hibiscus makes it ideal for flowering hedges.

Rose-of-Sharon is quite adaptable of soil type. It can take drought but does not look good if dry for too long. It loves moisture fully established plants thrive on occasional flooding in summer, but you cannot transplant it into standing water. Old plants dislike peat. Selective fertilizers enhancing flowering are convenient but not crucial. Place it in full sun only. Fully hardy to min. -27 °C (USDA zone 5) and not suitable for pots.

Last update 04-04-2023