Rose of Sharon in this zone starts showing life in May, well after trees start leafing out, and blooms in Mid August. This year however, must be a really freaky year. I woke up this morning to fine 2 blooms on mine. I have never seen them bloom this early. I even pruned mine back, then transplanted it bareroot in April of this year and it bounced right back at the usual time in May as though nothing had been done to it. Maybe that's why the early bloom, I don't know. I've never seen anyone is this zone cover them for the winter. Don't think that would be necessary but yes, I suspect your tree/shrub years ago was still alive.

I purchased "Becky" several years ago from Carl Drebilbis of Houston TX, and after 2 seasons I posted a picture of a pot full of this plant as seen above on this forum. This variety always seems to want to revert to Laurentii, but every once in a while it throws a very nice variegated leaf; no two leaves are the same. The leaves are a little shorter in length than Laurentii. I think I still have 'Becky". Contact me at mlaforest05@comcast.com

Thanks, TMFF! My very first NW :-)

I copied this as it was easier than typing it out. It applies to Ohio but should be good for Illinois as well. "The woodfrog is an example of an explosive breeder, a species that congregates in large numbers at breeding ponds for a very short mating season lasting only two or three days to a week. They become active in mid-March and remain so until late October. Spawning is accomplished in small temporary pools, swamps, or semipermanent ponds and takes place from mid-March to early April in northeastern Ohio. Woodfrogs often lay their clutches of eggs aggregated in a central location of the pond thereby forming huge rafts of eggs deposited below the surface of the water. Individual egg masses are globular in shape and measure 75-100 mm in diameter. Each mass may contain 1000-5000 eggs with each egg swelling to 6-7 mm in diameter upon hydration. The eggs hatch in 14-21 days, and transformation occurs 61-115 days following spawning. Woodfrog tadpoles are dark, nearly black, and transform the year they hatch at lengths of 38-48 mm. Recently transformed woodfrogs 15-18 mm in length may be found from early June through late July. Sexual maturity is reached in two years." Here is a link that might be useful: Frogpatch Where kids and adults learn nature