Alcea rosea Seeds | Hollyhock
LATIN NAME: Alcea rosea
COMMON NAME: Hollyhock
Plant Profile
Hollyhock is the tall spire of the cottage garden, grown for stems that reach 1.8-2.5 m and carry a column of wide, satin-textured flowers from June onward. The leaves are large, rough, lobed and arranged in a flat rosette in the first year, which is what a biennial looks like before it decides to flower.
Flowers are single or double, in white, cream, yellow, pink, red and near-black purple, often with a darker eye. Each lasts only a day or two, but a single stem carries dozens and opens them from the bottom upward over several weeks. The plant is a short-lived perennial that behaves as a biennial: it flowers, sets seed and usually dies.
The garden hollyhock is a very old hybrid, probably derived from Alcea rugosa and A. ficifolia of south-western Asia, and it has been in European gardens since the sixteenth century. It is not a wild species, which is why seedling colour is unpredictable and why doubles appear and disappear in a batch.
Science & Biotechnology
Hollyhock is the classic host of hollyhock rust, Puccinia malvacearum, a fungus that arrived in Europe in the nineteenth century and now follows the plant everywhere. Orange-brown pustules appear on the underside of the lower leaves in early summer and spread upward; the plant survives but loses vigour. Removing affected leaves early and growing plants in good air movement are the practical controls, since chemical options are limited in a flower border.
The flowers contain anthocyanins and flavonol glycosides, and the dark maroon forms are among the richest sources of anthocyanin in the family. Extracts have been studied for antioxidant activity, and hollyhock petals have been used as a colouring for wine and confectionery.
The Malvaceae as a group are defined by mucilage canals, and hollyhock is no exception: the leaves and roots release a slick gel when soaked, which is the basis of its old use as a soothing demulcent and of its modern role in some herbal cough preparations.
Uses & Benefits
Hollyhocks are grown for vertical accent, and they do that job better than almost anything that will survive a windy site. Plant them against a wall or a dark hedge, where the stems can be tied in and the flowers read against a solid background. The flowers are edible and make a passable garnish, though the texture is better than the flavour.
The plant is a magnet for bumblebees, which force their way into the base of the flower for nectar, and for the second brood of the painted lady butterfly in southern Europe. In the cutting garden the stems are too heavy for most arrangements but work in a tall church vase. Seed is easy to save, and a strain selected over a few years will begin to breed true.
Growing from Seed
Sow in June or July where the plants are to flower, or in pots for transplanting in autumn. Cover the seed lightly, keep at 18-22°C, and germination takes one to two weeks. Fresh seed germinates almost without fail; stored seed loses viability quickly, so old packets are a gamble.
Transplant at 45-60 cm apart in full sun and ordinary soil, and water through dry spells in the first summer. The long stems need shelter from wind, or a stake and twine. Cut the main stem to the ground after flowering if you do not want seed, and watch the lower foliage for rust from June onward. Seedling variation is total: if you want a specific colour, grow it in isolation and select over several years.
Our Take
A plant that gives more height per penny than anything else in the catalogue, provided you accept rust and a short life. Sow a little every year rather than trying to keep old plants going.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Hollyhock: