A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Rose of Sharon questions

I'm a newbie, and I have a question about a rose of Sharon bush that is foundering in my "new-to-me" back yard.

I'm in arid, high desert country (7a). This is the only shrub in the back yard. It's only getting about 2 hours of direct sun due to encroaching shade trees. It's about 5' tall, with lots of dead wood. It has leafed out partially, and is starting to bloom. I don't know it's age, but it has 5 main trunks that are about 1 1/4" in diameter. Though it's well mulched, it doesn't look like anyone has paid any attention to it for a very long time.

Here are my questions... Should I (can I?) transplant this bush in a sunnier location? If so, when's the best time? And, last, do I prune after blooms fade, or early next spring?

Thank you.

most R-o-S in the southwest are really alyogyne or another in malvacaea, if you post a pic we can tell for sure

May I hook on this posting....tried on another, no responses. How do I prune it to my rose of sharon to prevent it from looking top heavy. It is a White Chiffon. What do you suggest to plant beneath it (no pink colored plants)?

Hook away, mountaingirl! I'm interested in your pruning question, also.

Thanks RugbyHukr. I'll research the photo-posting info and get one up here for you to look at.

matoaka Ros likes plenty of sun. I have two that get all day sun. Texas sun is just about as hot as NM sun but more humide in the DFW area I live in. I prune mine when they get shaggy looking. Best time to move them would probably be in fall or early spring. I have mine in 5 gallon buckets so I can bring them in when it gets real cold and the are doing great I have been trying to build up this polluted soil for 6 years some of it has responded but a lot of it hasn't hense the buckets.mountaingirl1 like I said above I prune mine when they get shaggy looking also keep the suckers cut off as well as any low growth also I don't plant anything under mine or any other plants. But that is my preference.

Here's my shrub. Is it a rose of sharon?

Thanks for all the help! (sorry about pic size... I'll still working on that... )