Solved Flowering shrub id please

Hi,
what is this beauty we walk past almost daily?

It's about 2m tall, has very thick (forearm-ish) smooth trunk, semi- double flowers about the size of a cooking apple, and Hawthorn-ish leaves. It has been flowering forever and forever now, a lovely shrub.







Thanks!

 

Looks like Hibiscus syriacus

 

It reminds me of Hibiscus but I'm probably wrong. I usually am.

 

I believe you are both right, I also thought of Hibiscus (really I did ) but didn't realise it's hardy up here. It's the only one I have seen around here and looks well established.

I wonder if cuttings would root in case my shoe lace happens to need attention when we are walking past it?

 

I too think double Hibiscus syriacus but could be Abutilon.

 

They are very hardy I think, but obviously need a warm spot to flower well further North, it sounds like a good variety and been there a while.
I've never tried cuttings, I think they are usually grafted, but seed grows fairly quickly and flowers in about 3 yrs.
Obviously it wouldn't come true from seed.

 

Definitely, accidentally brush against it and catch a few seed pods The babies might not be double flowered, but you'll get a lovely selection of colours.

 

I must try some from mine, it's a single blue.

 

How does that happen?

 

I've got a lot of seed raised plants that form a hedge on the allotment, they are different colours but mostly kind of red or pink, the blue ones seem less likely on mine.

Last year I shredded a lot of the pruning's and used the shredding as a mulch, I had a forest of seedlings come up in the spring to the point I had to weedkiller them.

 

I can't really accidentally brush on it while tying my shoelace as there is a meter wide extremely well tended border between the sidewalk and the desired shrub

But if I choose a sunny afternoon and have a long lasting shoelace incident, the owner might pop out and I might ask him...

But the old Finnish wisdom says that stolen plants grow the best and never to say thank you for a cutting or it will not take. What a dilemma!

Anyways, thanks all, mystery solved and another plant added to my wish list

 

I'll send you some seed if you like, mine is only just about ripening now so the seed on that plant is unlikely to be ripe yet.

 

Thanks @pete, awfully kind of you!

I don't have a place for the plant right now so will just add to my wish list. I'll knock on your back door, or just climb over your fence when I'm ready for a Hibiscus.

Thanks Pete

 

Just so it's correctly written on the wish list......I think it's Hibiscus 'Duc de Brabant'. Happy hunting

 

I'm going to check tomorrow whether there are in fact any babies near my double-flowered Hibiscuses (Hibisci? ). It could be that the doubles are sterile. The singles definitely aren't, they self sow all over the place. Blue, pink or white, all with a red heart.