Yes and no. The name “Hibiscus” isn’t a common plant name, it is the genus that rose of Sharon (and other flowering plants) belongs to. They all have similar-looking tropical flowers, but there are some major differences. Rose of sharon, or althea, is a woody shrub that is hardy to cold climates. It grows in zones 5-9 and goes dormant in the winters, losing its leaves but not dying to the ground. Perennial hibiscus, also known as rose mallow, is a hardy perennial that dies to the ground each year but returns the following spring.