Flowers: Rose of Sharon

Photo by Judith Muilenburg

Apparently the Rose of Sharon is a rose tree rather than a rose bush. The ArborDay website says this about it: 

The Rose-of-Sharon is an deciduous, upright, occasionally spreading shrub or small tree with multiple trunks. The branches grow upright and will not droop except when in flower. The leaves emerge late in the spring. Leaves are medium to dark green in summer with no or poor yellow fall color. 

The bark is light brown and thin, and the wood itself is weak. The trumpet shaped flowers are 2-4" across in colors of white, pink, red, violet or purple. They stay open for one day and close at night. 

Single-flowered varieties are hardier than the double-flowered types. The roots are located just below the soil surface. This shrub is tolerant of many soil textures, moisture conditions, and acid to alkaline pH if it is in full or nearly full sun.

More information here