My understanding is that Confederate Rose dies back during the winter here because it's from a warmer zone. Rose of Sharon/Althea is cold-hardy much further north than Texas ever gets, so it doesn't need to be cut back.

I do know that Althea will grow in part shade, we had one between the house and a tree when I was growing up. It may not have bloomed as well as the other one we had in full sun, but it did bloom.

While I'd like a Confederate Rose, the fact that it dies back (and has to be cut back) due to the cold and the possibility of losing it entirely to cold, has kept me from planting it. I don't need any more plants that do that. I planted a blue/purple Althea because we had one when I was a kid.

Rose of Sharon can be trimmed into small tree or shrub form. Ours (both double and single flower varieties) did better in n. Texas with a bit of shade. In fact, they will bloom wonderfully even in the heavy dappled shade loved by Cardinal Flower and Columbine, but it becomes tougher to maintain an attractive shape. Better to be where they can get several hours of sunlight.

Only problem we ever encountered with Rose of Sharon was its sensitivity to root rot (probably CRR), so there were some spots on the property where they just could not survive. A consideration if you have any places you know these nasties to be present in you soil.

Confederate Rose is Hibiscus Mutablis.

Rose of Sharon is Hibiscus syriacus.

My CR is like the large pink double in the link. It goes from light pink to dark rose.
I once had one that went from white to pink during the day.

The hibiscus is of the cotton family. Cotton blooms one day and goes from a creamy white to pink.
So would be susceptible to cotton root rot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Confederate Rose

This is a two year old plant, they can get very tall this far south. If there is no freeze they lose their leaves but may not die back. Mine only seems to bloom from October until it starts to get too cool then it produces seed pods. Now I have seen Rose-of-Sharon's In Michigan and West Virginia so there are various varieties that can stand much colder weather but they do lose their leaves also.

The varieties developed by the National Arboretum, bearing the names of Greek and Roman Goddesses, are sterile, which spares you the hassle of pulling up volunteers. I set out a Minerva and a Helene, in 3 gallon containers, 3 years ago. They are getting about 5 hours of midday/early afternoon sun. They're now 6' tall and 3 wide, very bushy and loaded with buds.

I lost my Confederate Rose to frost ~ sigh. I have never lost a Rose of Sharon to weather, to dogs, well that's a different story.

Chicadee, your Confederate Rose didn't come back from the roots?

So.. reading some more and trying to figure this out,
I think one more difference is that the ROS will bloom from spring to fall but the Confederate Rose only blooms in the fall. Is that correct?

Correct. RoS is a work horse.

Yes Confederate Rose Hibiscus will sometimes bloom a little in the spring but not often. Mostly here in the Houston area mine bloom from about October as our weather starts to cool down until it gets cooler. So I get about 2 months where I have lots of blooms in the fall.

Melvalena, I have three althea: Helene, Aphrodite, and Diana. All three I have trained tree form. They make lovely long-lived small trees. One is in part shade and the others in full sun. The Aphrodite in part shade may be a little more slow-growing, but still flowers beautifully. Lou

I have two Rose-a-sharns and I don't like them. But they are very healthy and happy on the southern side of my house against the brick. So I know they can take all the heat you can throw at them. I just think they are ugly in the winter. Or actually any time they aren't flowering. Plan to replace mine with - something?

That's funny.. my hubby says they are ugly too. :)

I have never seen an ugly Rose-of-Sharon plant and once established they can bloom for a very long time. When I lived down near the coast they were like weeds sprouting up anywhere a seed fell. But here near Houston they seem to be much slower growing.