Rose of Sharon Tree

[Allen Neighbors]

I received a couple of chunks of a Rose of Sharon Tree today... About 14" in diameter and 24" long. Now blanked out, and anchorsealed. :) It sort of stinks when cutting, was really wet, and the shavings and sawdust is white as holly.
Is it any good for turning, or have I wasted my time?:confused::confused:

[Ron McKinley]

Didn't know Rose of Sharon grew to tree size. The plants grow by the side of the road in rural desert areas and are called locoweed......Ron

[Dick Sowa]

If it really is Rose of Sharon (hibiscus) that big, then you have a pretty rare piece. Most of them are used as shrubs...with lots of spindly stalks and plenty of summertime blooms. The stalks are rarely bigger than an inch or two, and then only if really old.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Never heard of it! (we're a little sheltered here in the U.P.) Looking forward to seeing what you turn out of it!

[Brian Effinger]

Rose of Sharon - my back yard nemesis. I've got a couple in the yard and hate them. They're nothing but a glorified weed because the seeds sprout up everywhere and are difficult to get rid of. I plan on getting rid of the rest this summer, so maybe I'll try turning some of the larger pieces. Of course they are nothing close to the size you have. Mine are maybe 4" in diameter.

[Prashun Patel]

+ 1 on the "Ain't never seen it that big" vote. ROS grow to maybe 8 feet tall IMHO. 14" diameter? Color me skeptical.

[Allen Neighbors]

For you doubters: :D http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/hisy.htm
I know it's a tree, I just didn't know if anyone around here had turned any of it.

[Dusty Fuller]

Spin it and show us how it comes out! I don't think I'll ever have any of that come my way. One more "odd" wood to wonder about.

[Nathan Hawkes]

Rose of Sharon - my back yard nemesis. I've got a couple in the yard and hate them. They're nothing but a glorified weed because the seeds sprout up everywhere and are difficult to get rid of. I plan on getting rid of the rest this summer, so maybe I'll try turning some of the larger pieces. Of course they are nothing close to the size you have. Mine are maybe 4" in diameter.


You sure you're not thinking of multiflora rose?? I thought hibiscus needed warm winters, like those in tex. or tenn. I didn't think they could live in NY or NJ....

[Brian Effinger]

Nope, Nathan. Definitely Rose of Sharon. It has the same leaves, flowers, etc. as the samples in the link Alan posted.

[Nathan Hawkes]

You learn something new every day! I only thought that b/c someone called a multiflora rose a rose-of-sharon recently. I honestly hadn't realized that the true rose of sharon was a hibiscus species. In any case, free wood is good wood, especially if its cool & rare....

[Clara Koss]

i have a rose of sharon and it is a hibiscus...thin and spindly... think you may have gotten something else...if it stinks throw it out dude... maybe they gave it to you as a joke...:confused:

[Allen Neighbors]

Clara, check out this link; It is a .... what you said.... hibiscus.
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/hisy.htm

[Clara Koss]

i saw the link mr neighbors posted and if that is the trunk that is a huge rose of sharon TREE!!!! none of the residents in my hood have such a huge one!!!! gawwwwwwlly!!!!:o

[Jake Helmboldt]

All of the horticultural sites list it as a large shrub or small tree of 8-12'. I don't see how this could be a hibisucus. They also don't typically grow with a large central leader (that I have ever seen).

[Paul Gallian]

The family (Malvaceae) contain many species. Hibiscus, Mallow, Cotton, Okra, Rose of Sharon and many others. 14 inch diameter is a giant...
I am a plant taxonomist but I do not want to argue --

All of the Malvaceae family have similar flowers.... a collar of stamens encompassing the pistil... similar to all of the Hibiscus -- some flower are elongated and some short and stubby... I really think that a 14 inch trunk for a Rose of Sharon is way out of bounds BUT close relatives of it may have a trunk that large...

http://landscaping.about.com/od/shrubsbushes/p/rose_of_sharon.htm
or
http://www.weekendgardener.net/2008/09/rose-of-sharon-growing-and.htm

notice shrubs.... just google it...

Common names can and will make liars out of you and me..... Maybe someone's great grandmother called a maple tree a rose of sharon and it stuck...

[Jim Becker]

I've never seen Rose of Sharon thicker than just a few inches and that's for a very mature bush...

[Mike Cutler]

Allen

It may have been cultivated and pruned as a single trunk. I have seen that done.
The Rose of Sharon I planted 10 years ago is of the bush looking type. It's about 12' tall, and each main section coming out of the ground is about 3"-4" in diameter.

It's interesting none the less, and should make for an interesting looking, unique piece when you turn it.

[jim carter]

manzanita is also listed as shrub or small tree
[go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanita] that grows up to 18' tall. i see them bigger than that all the time. heres 1 thats 25' -30' tall and 12-14" diameter. depending on soil , climate and a range of other things, plants can do the unexpected. never heard of rose of sharon, but interested in what the wood looks like since i like wood thats off the beaten path.

[Paul Gallian]

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) if the Doctor told you that you needed to have stitches because the cut is in a bad place or very deep would you argue with him/her..

The Rose of Sharon scientific name is (Hibiscus syriacus) NOTICE that the Genus is Hibiscus --- a Scientific name is a binomial Genus + species..

ROSE OF SHARON IS --- Hibiscus syriacus -- not typical more than a scrub.

Common names are very miss leading -- there are several members of the Genus Hibiscus that are quite diverse.. but ALL have a collar or Column of Stamens that surounds the pistil.....

from a plant taxonomist -- and author of several taxonomic books....

Paul

[Paul Gallian]

reminds me of the old movies where a mouse gets radiated and becomes a giant.. May be the Hibiscus was radiated and grew to 14".
:):D:D:D:D:D

I really like the wood -- I think Rose would love it and I know that Sharon would.... I would like to trade some Black Walnut or even some Honey Locust for a piece of it..

Paul

[Allen Neighbors]

Okay. I just got back online after a day or two out of pocket. I'll try to get a shot of the downed tree tomorrow (if it's still there) and I'll get some pics of the chunks I have, and get them posted. I really would like to know what this is.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Allen, I don't really doubt that you have a (Rose of Sharon) Hibiscus there, it could very well have been pruned to be a tree or have a short trunk and then have the branches radiate out for a landscape specimen, if you go to get some more pictures and or more pieces of wood, see if you can find some seed-pots, they do stay on till the new leaves open up.
I have a Rose of Sharon growing here in my garden, it is not very big, as it is maybe 15 years old, I did prune a branch off of it to keep it more compact, and Yes I turned it into a birdhouse ornament, the body only, not the roof as it wasn't big enough for that.
It was just white wood, turned fine enough but really nondescript wood, though a large piece could very well have more grain or color, though I don't really expect it to have that.
I hope you are able to get a more definite answer to your quest, let us know will you, I'm certainly interested in it, have fun and take care.