Althea, Red Heart

Tree Care:

Planting:

Choose a location that receives full sun to partial shade, though full sun produces the most abundant blooms. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and to the same depth. It adapts to most soil types but thrives best in rich, well-draining soil.

Watering:

Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a deep, healthy root system. Once established, it is remarkably drought-tolerant, though a thorough watering during severe summer dry spells will keep the flowers looking fresh.

Fertilizing:

Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. Avoid heavy or late-season feeding, which can cause excessive leaf growth at the expense of late-summer blossoms.

Pruning:

Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth starts, as it blooms on new wood. Cut back old branches to a healthy bud to encourage a more compact shape and larger flowers. It can also be trained into a small, single-trunk tree form.

Pest and Disease Control:

Generally low-maintenance but watch for Japanese beetles and aphids during mid-summer. It is largely resistant to serious diseases, though poor air circulation or overly wet conditions can occasionally lead to leaf spot or powdery mildew.

Winter Care:

Apply a 3-inch layer of mulch around the root zone in late autumn to help retain moisture and insulate against freezing temperatures. It is highly cold-hardy and requires no special wrapping.

Tree Description:

Appearance:

Produces large, dinner-plate-like, single flowers featuring pure white petals contrasted by a dramatic, deep ruby-red center eye.

Blooms continuously and prolifically from mid-summer all the way into autumn, providing vibrant color when many other flowering shrubs have finished.

Foliage:

Medium green, attractive three-lobed leaves with coarsely toothed margins that form a clean, dense canopy.

Foliage holds its color well through summer before dropping in winter with little to no fall color change.

Shape and Growth:

Features a stiffly upright, vase-shaped growth habit that naturally rounds out with maturity.

Grows at a medium rate, typically reaching 8–12 feet tall and 6–10 feet wide, making it highly manageable.

Adaptability:

An exceptionally tough and resilient deciduous shrub. It easily handles intense summer heat, high humidity, drought, poor soil quality, and urban air pollution. It is also highly tolerant of black walnut toxicity.

Landscape Use:

Ideal for use as a colorful privacy hedge, property line screen, or a standalone specimen plant. Its late-season bloom window makes it a fantastic addition to perennial borders, cottage gardens, and foundation plantings.