[Mosslane]

Hi, we have a shrub growing in our garden - in Bulgaria - but I can't identify it. Does anyone have any ideas. Needs pruning but want to make sure we do it at the right time.

[Goosegirl]

Looking at the shape of the leaves, it looks like the Hibiscus shrub I have which was given to me as a wedding present 4 years ago. Living in N.W.England, I didn't think it would survive, but it has. In Bulgaria, it may be more common. It should produce pink mallow-looking flowers in late summer. If it does flower late on, prune it back in spring so as to enable it to grow flowering branches that year.

[Trillium]

My hibiscus leaves have a finer saw-tooth edge than this. On seeing the pic, I immediately thought of Rose of Sharon, but I can't get outside to check with mine.

[sunshineband]

The blue hibiscus down the road has very similar leaves to this 

[Mosslane]

Thanks for the replies. Will check out Hibiscus. Was just unsure as the leaves are very small only a couple of cms and it doesn't appear to have flowered this year, we moved into the  house 5 weeks ago and the garden has been unattended and there were no dead flowers on the shrub. Still a good pruning over the winter and we shall see what happens.

[Spana]

I also think hibiscus.

Just had a look at mine and there's hardly a leaf left on it and the  leaves that are left  are very small.

 It did flower well this year but there are no sign of where the flowers were now so your one could  be the same. 

[Mosslane]

Thanks Spana, will treat as Hibiscus and see what happens next spring.

[catllar]

Don't forget that if it is hibiscus (or could it be a lavateria ) then it'll be late coming into leaf next spring (at least mine is here in S.France)

[Mosslane]

Hi Catllar, not Lavateria as we have 2 of those here and they have much bigger leaves but I guess there is more than one variety. Spring was very late here this year, had snow in late April so who knows when it may show itself again.