# I need help identifying a sort of plant/tree thing **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 19, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280 "2016-07-19T02:33:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/1 "2016-07-19T02:33:14Z")
Here are the pictures: [https://goo.gl/photos/AmVvhXGUB7tK7j998](https://goo.gl/photos/AmVvhXGUB7tK7j998) It’s about six feet or seven feet tall. I’d like to know what kind of plant it is. I want to transplant it but I don’t want to do it if it’s some relative of arbor vitae and will give me hell to dig it up, or something. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/2 "2016-07-19T04:54:46Z")
Rose of Sharon _Hibiscus syriacus_ [leaf](http://www.stihl.com/global/knowhow/lexika/baumlexikon/img/zoom/PB100359_gr.jpg) [stems and leaves](http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/hisy1260846.jpg) It’s hardy and easy to grow. We’ve had one for many years at the family house in New York. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/3 "2016-07-19T05:12:22Z")
This flower contains anthocyanine pigment whose colour depends on pH. The acid-base equilibrium of this pigment was investigated using spectrophotometric method. The pkIn values were found to be 2.8 and 7.3. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/4 "2016-07-19T05:31:29Z")
The [flowers](http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/rose-of-sharon-blooms.jpg) are quite attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/5 "2016-07-19T07:07:22Z")
I think Colibri is right on the species ID (I’ve never come across Hibiscus being called ‘Rose of Sharon’ though, so I learned something - I’ve only ever heard the term used in connection with Hypericum). Anyway… ‘sort of plant/tree thing’ = shrub. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/6 "2016-07-19T12:51:58Z")
Oh my god you guys are amazing. Especially you Colibri. Thank you! And you know, it didn’t even occur to me to call it a shrub. I’d like to relocate it to block a spot on our fence where our neighbors look over - seriously, I guess they’re retired and have nothing else to do. it’s annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/7 "2016-07-19T17:22:28Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Oh my god you guys are amazing. Especially you Colibri. Thank you! > > And you know, it didn’t even occur to me to call it a shrub. I’d like to relocate it to block a spot on our fence where our neighbors look over - seriously, I guess they’re retired and have nothing else to do. it’s annoying. You’re welcome. Coincidentally, your plant looks almost _exactly_ like the one in our front yard used to look, which is growing at the corner of our neighbor’s house, which has white siding, and next to a silver chain-link fence. It’s a bit bigger after 60 years, though. It’s a nice yard plant, although as some sites say it has a tendency to produce seedlings in the lawn. It’s pretty tough so I think it should be able to withstand transplanting well. [It’s recommended to transplant in the fall, although it can even be done in the summer if you are careful about it.](http://homeguides.sfgate.com/replant-rose-sharon-bushes-59058.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/8 "2016-07-19T18:03:01Z")
Rose of Sharon is a pretty tough customer. But I think you’d be able to transplant it successfully now, if you cut back the top growth to 2-3 feet or so (it should rebound fairly quickly). They do best in full sun and need room unless you’re diligent with pruning. We have some monster multi-stemmed specimens growing in this area (one in particular is pushing 20 feet in height and is about 15 feet wide). ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/9 "2016-07-19T19:07:54Z")
I’ve never heard it called Hibiscus, only Rose of Sharon, so I learned something too! Mine’s in bloom right now! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/10 "2016-07-19T19:21:22Z")
I don’t even know why it is where it is - right up against the house. It’s kind of squished and not very happy. It will have much more room where I intend to move it, and the bunnies that wander freely through my yard will probably like the cover. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-help-identifying-a-sort-of-plant-tree-thing/760280/11 "2016-07-20T15:38:55Z")
If it flowered last year you should have a lot of seedlings around the base of it. They are easy to transplant and grow fairly quickly and in a few years you would have a nice hedge to block the neighbor’s view.