Althea Rose of Sharon

This tree-like shrub is called althea or rose of Sharon. My grandmother had this in her yard when I was a child. I lived next door to her when I was raising my children. She shared a clipping by "laying by" a low limb and placing a brick on top of it to make sure it maintained contact with the soil. Once it rooted, we severed it from the parent plant and I had this beauty in my yard as well. Now, almost 20 years later and after moving five times, I still have this hardy old-fashioned plant.