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' Mars Magic ' hollyhock . Photo by : Proven succeeder
A classical cottage garden staple , hollyhocks ( Alcea rosea ) flush mid - summertime with numerous flowers on marvellous spike . Many of the most vulgar motley are biennials , think of they complete their lifecycle over 2 years . The first year is spent growing leafage and storing energy . In the second year , the stalks blast up , flower bloom and seeds form . However , there are also many motley that behave like unawares - lived perennials and will bloom in their first year when planted betimes enough in spring or started indoors in winter .
Other than game and skip the stalk back after efflorescence , hollyhocks really do n’t require much upkeep , but they do need to be protect from insects and fungal diseases such as rust . Hollyhocks support the lifecycle of painted lady butterfly as a innkeeper plant life for their cat and also attract other pollinators such as bee and hummingbirds . If you ’ve produce a bungalow garden , it ’s just not complete without a few hollyhocks gracing the edges .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Common Problems & Solutions|Varieties|FAQs|Gardening with Hollyhocks
On this page :
HOLLYHOCK BASICS
Zones:
3 - 9
Height/Spread:
6 - 8 feet marvellous , 1 - 2 ft wide
Exposure:
Full sunshine to part shade
Bloom time:
June - August
Color and characteristics:
The single or treble , loving cup - work blossom have little or no stalk and bloom on grandiloquent spikes . hollyhock derive in a wide variety of colors : blue , pinkish , purplish , scarlet , white , yellow , and even black . The marvelous spikes are covered with bloom from top to bottom . Hollyhock leaves are prominent , coarse , and palmate in shape .
“ It ’s soft to overlook hollyhocks as pollinator plants , but they have lots of nectar and pollen , draw bumble bees , hummingbird , and butterflies . As for color , bumble bees seem to choose livid or pink petal , while hummingbirds favour deep Red and purples . ”
— Master apiarist Rusty Burlew , Honey Bee Suite
Photo by : Anna50 / Shutterstock
HOW TO PLANT HOLLYHOCKS
How and when to plant hollyhock seeds:
althaea can be embark on from seminal fluid indoors or out . source can be sown right away outdoors about a week before last frost . Sow at just ¼ inch late and about 2 metrical unit aside . hollyhock have long taproot , so if seed are start up indoors , use magniloquent , single pots and transplantation early to void legal injury . Start indoor seeds about 9 weeks before the last average rime date . seedling can be placed outside two to three weeks after the last frost . Also , bear in head that some are biennials and may not bloom until their second year .
Where to plant:
flora in a well - draining area with full Sunday to partial shade . Due to their height , protect from damaging wind and provide support such as a fencing , wall , trellis or stake . hollyhock will readily self - semen if left to their own devices , so locate them in an country where this wo n’t be a nuisance . Also , hollyhocks are one of very few works that can be planted in proximity to black walnut trees because they are tolerant of the chemical juglone that is leached into the soil by the tree diagram .
“ Hollyhocks can be catchy to commence from seeded player . They are best to inseminate and forget , sometimes take up to a year to sprout . But once you ’ve get them , you ’ll have them eternally because they gently self - seed in places you least expect . ”
— Professional flower farmer , Erin Benzakein ofFloret Flower Farm . Take a walk through Erin ’s " hollyhock jungle . "
photograph by : Addington Photographics / Shutterstock
HOLLYHOCK CARE
Pruning:
item-by-item hollyhock bloom can be take away when they pass and intact stalks can be cut back to the base after flowering . This will preclude seed heads from forming and reseeding . Although , if you ’d like to have seeds set for next spring , leave the flowers and a few stalks until the come have drop down . They ’ll choke back in winter and all stems and leaves should be cut back to the terra firma to prevent rust fungus disease from overwintering .
Soil:
Provide rich , moist , well - debilitate dirt for hollyhocks .
Amendments and fertilizer:
Hollyhocks can benefit from a lightheaded app of fertilizer or compost in the fountain .
Watering:
Provide veritable water and keep soil moist for starting althaea . However , once well establish , they are clean drought kind . Water from below and obviate wet the foliage , as this can lead to diseased leave .
Propagation:
Hollyhocks are skillful , and well-situated , grow from seed and they will readily ego - cum if bloom stalks are lead in topographic point .
Over-wintering:
In expanse that get knockout freezes , hollyhocks can be spring up as annuals , starting seeds in containers and over - wintering indoors . body of water sparingly over the winter and gradually reintroduce them out of doors when the weather begins to warm up up .
In other areas where they can be leave outside , prune them back to about 6 inches above ground layer in the fall . Cover with 4 to 6 inch of straw or mulch over the root zona and base of the plant . In spring , bit by bit take away in layers to slowly acclimate the roots . Once new growth is emerge , withdraw all the wheat or mulch . Re - treat in guinea pig of a springiness freeze .
“ Once they ’re constitute , hollyhocks are pretty drought - tolerant , so they are perfect plants to grow here in North Texas ( zone 8A ) where we get teetotal and raging summer . Even in our raging clime , hollyhocks grow considerably when planted in full sun . ”
— Dina Mills , Mills Family Gardening
The underside of a althea leaf with rusting . exposure by : Kazakov Maksim / Shutterstock
COMMON HOLLYHOCK PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
Hollyhock rust ( white-livered maculation and raised , rust - colour bumps on the leaves):The most common disease affecting hollyhock . It appears as xanthous blot on leave-taking , then develops into dark-brown or rusting - colored bumps on underside of the folio . prevent rusting is much easier than trying to domesticate an outbreak . Watering at the groundwork , honest air circulation , and thorough late fall cleanup will go a long way in stopping rust fungus from form . Any leaves that show sign of rust should be dispatch from the works and dispose of to foreclose further ranch . TheRoyal Horticultural Societyrecommends exchange industrial plant each year in surface area where rust fungus persists . Planting rust - resistive varieties , likeAlcea rugosa , can also avail .
Powdery mildew : This fungous disease looks like a white , powdery covering on the leaf . As with rust , prophylactic bar include ensuring full airflow , providing adequate sun , and avoiding overhead watering .
hollyhock not flower : Not enough sunlight ( hollyhocks need at least six hours of direct sunlight daily to thrive ) . If your plant is a first - class biennial , it may need another year to develop bloom .
leave-taking turning yellow : Too much water system can suffocate the rootage , top to yellow-bellied leafage . insure well - draining dirt and weewee deeply but infrequently .
Hollyhocks fall over : Strong winds and heavy rain can knock over marvellous hollyhocks . To provide support , secure them to a trellis or bamboo bet using garden string .
Pest problems : poke and snails , wanderer mites , andJapanese beetlescan be baffling as well .
HOLLYHOCK VARIETIES
picture by : Proven winner
Alcea rosea‘Blacknight’—Buy now from Proven winner
Zones:3 - 9
pinnacle / Spread:5 to 6 metrical unit tall , 1 to 2 feet all-encompassing
Exposure : Full sunshine
blooming time : Mid - summer
colour : Purple - Black person
The darkest of the Spotlight serial publication , this almost black hollyhock is a standout in the garden . This variety acquit more like a short - lived recurrent than a biennial .
Alcea rosea‘Mars Magic’—Buy now from Proven success
Height / Spread:5 to 6 feet tall , 2 feet wide
Bloom Time : Mid - summer
Color : Shades of ruby-red
Another cultivar from the Spotlight series that offer single red flowers .
Photo by : Garden World Images Ltd. / Alamy Stock Photo .
Alcea rosea‘Queeny Purple ’
Zones:3 - 8
Height / Spread:2 to 3 feet tall and broad
Bloom Time : Mid to late summertime
Color : Deep purple
One of the shortest variety show , its 3- to 4 - column inch , frilly - edged flowers blossom with time of year - longsighted coloration . Its compact sizing arrive at it double-dyed for smaller garden and container . Will blossom the first year if planted in February .
genus Alcea rosea‘Chater ’s two-fold ’
top / Spread:5 to 7 feet marvellous , 1 to 2 foot wide
Color : useable in a miscellanea of colors : xanthous , pink , regal , blood-red , white and salmon ( show ) .
These tend to be true biennials , blooming in their second year with fluffy double althea flowers .
Photo by : Gardeningpix / Alamy Stock Photo .
Alcea roseaIndian Spring Mix
Zones:3 - 7
Height / Spread:5 to 8 feet tall , 12 to 18 in all-encompassing
Bloom Time : too soon to mid - summer
Color : A commixture in various shades of pink and white .
Old - fashioned althea with single or semi - double bloom will bloom the first year if planted too soon in spring . Cut back after flowering and you may get a 2nd round in the fall .
Photo by : aaor2550 / Shutterstock .
genus Alcea roseaMajorette Mix
Zones:5 - 8
tiptop / Spread:2 foot marvellous and wide
Color : A mix of colour ( shades of pink , yellowed , orange , red and white )
This dwarf variety has a shaggy substance abuse and fringe , semi - dual flowers . fantabulous for front or middle of borders or in containers . This miscellanea will also blossom the first year if planted ahead of time enough .
pic by : Walters Gardens , Inc.
genus Alcea rosea‘Fiesta Time ’
Height / Spread:3 feet tall , 18 to 24 inches all-embracing
vividness : reddish pink
A relatively shorter edition with doubled , fringed blossoms that will bloom in the first twelvemonth . Its short stature ready it a undecomposed pick for courtyard garden and container .
Alcea roseaHalo Series Cerise
colour : Bicolor , cerise pink with deep purple center
The Halo series blossom with individual , bicolor bloom with either lighter or darker centers . Others in the series are candy , blush , and lavender .
Alcea roseaHalo Series Blush
Color : White with fuchsia anchor ring and chickenhearted center
A bright and colorful addition to a cottage garden or molding .
Photo by : ArgenLant / Shutterstock .
Alcea rugosa
Zones:4 - 8
Height / Spread:4 to 9 pes marvelous , 1 to 2 feet wide
Bloom Time : July to August
Color : Christ Within yellow with dark heart
An sometime garden favourite that originated in Russia , prime with 4 - inch blooms that attract hummingbird and are eatable . Also proven to be more disease - insubordinate than other species .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do hollyhocks bloom the first year?
Not usually . As biennial , they typically focus on foliage growth in their first class and bloom in their 2nd . However , some sort behave more like suddenly - hold out perennial , now and then flowering in their first year — especially if start betimes — and continuing to bloom for several seasons .
Are hollyhocks annuals or perennials?
hollyhock are typically biennial plants , meaning they complete their life cycle in two years . Although they are biennial , they often seem to come back year after year because they reseed so prolifically . Learn divergence between annuals , perennial , and biennial .
Are hollyhocks edible?
Yes ! althaea are completely eatable , include the flowers , leaves , and roots . TheNorth Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolboxsuggests using the blossom as a showy edible garnish or even as container for dip .
Are hollyhocks poisonous?
No . althea are not toxicant to humans or animal . However , the stem and leaves can get skin discomfort in some people due to small , chicken feed - like fibre on their stems and folio . When palm hollyhocks , it ’s a good estimation to wear baseball mitt , especially if you have tender skin .
Are hollyhocks deer resistant?
Hollyhocks are rarely shop by deer . However , if food is scarce , hungry cervid may still nibble on them , especially young , untoughened growth . See moredeer - resistant plants and flowers .
GARDENING WITH HOLLYHOCKS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linda Hagen is a writer and message coordinator at GardenDesign.com , where she blend firsthand gardening experience with expert insights . Based in Southern California ( Zone 9B ) , she ’s passionate about vibrant , pollinator - favorable garden and believe the best lesson come from a trial - and - error approach to uprise .
Anne Balogh is a longtime gardening writer and editor program for Garden Design , with over 20 years of experience track everything from container planting to landscape vogue . She draws brainchild from her own Zone 5 garden in Illinois , where she experiments with dauntless perennial and flowering annual .
