Q.Should There Be Ants in Your Rose of Sharon
I have small black ants inside my flowers. Do the damage the flowers.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
It is likely that the ants are either attracted to the pollen inside the flowers or your rose of Sharon may have aphids, which secrete a sweet substance (called honeydew) in which the ants are quite fond of. I would first inspect the plant for signs of aphids (be sure to check backs of leaves) and treat the plant with Neem oil spray. This will get rid of the aphids, which in turn will get rid of the ants. Here is more info: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/homemade-aphid-control-a-natural-way-to-kill-aphids.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/pests/neem-oil-uses.htm
If aphids are not a problem, then here are more tips for getting rid of the ants: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/keeping-ants-of-flowering-vines-vegetables-and-flowers.htm
Ants will not hurt your rose of Sharon plant. They are actually protective . They eat the bad bugs that can harm your rose of sharon. They do not eat the plant. I welcome ants on my plants cause they like to eat the aphids that attack many different plants.
