Rock Rose

Rock Rose Pavonia lasiopetala  (2018)
I purchased one Rock Rose in early Spring of 2018. I loved its bubblegum pink flowers so much, that I purchased a second one to go on the other side of the front garden bed.

I usually don't do that, as I like to see how it winters over first, but Spring of 2019, and both are still alive.

I am not expecting to see a whole lot of growth from this plant in year one.  I also did not prune it, though I might clip off a few of the scraggly ends...


Notes pulled from online sources:
2ft x 3ft Small native shrub with 1.5" hibiscus-like blooms; more prone to powdery mildew in shade; very few blooms after spring; reseeds freely; attracts butterflies; cut back by 1/3 in late winter

The rock rose flower might remind you of the larger flowers of a hibiscus, and for good reason. They’re both in the same plant family: the Malvaceae, better known as the mallow family.

Pavonia thrives in the sun, but can be perfectly happy in part shade. And with just a little bit of supplemental irrigation, maybe once a week or so, during the driest of times, it keeps right on growing through our awful heat. It does tend to wilt during the day, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs water. You’ll notice that it’s right back to its cheery self the next morning, without any irrigation at all.

Rock rose is also prone to powdery mildew, but just ignore it. The plant certainly does.

Prune it now and then to restore its shape and promote new growth. You can do a harder prune in late winter. If you want to move its offspring that seed nearby, do so in the cooler months.