Hollyhock

Towers of flowers in the garden

The hollyhock is an ornamental plant of the mallow family, famous for its tall, upright stems, which can exceed two metres, clothed for much of their length in large cup-shaped flowers. The blooms, single or double, come in a wide range of colours: white, pink, red, yellow, even a near-black purple. The leaves are broad, rough and lobed. It is often grown as a biennial or a short-lived perennial.

Origin and habitat

Native to south-western Asia, particularly China, it was introduced to Europe around the 15th century and has since become a symbol of cottage gardens. It prefers sunny spots sheltered from wind, which could bend its tall stems.

Cultivation

It wants full sun and fertile, deep, well-drained soil. Once established it is hardy and tolerates drought. It flowers from summer into early autumn; biennial forms are sown one year to bloom the next. It self-seeds freely, reappearing year after year in the garden. The tall stems often need staking.

Facts and uses

The flowers are edible and used to garnish dishes and salads, and in herbal tradition its parts, like those of other mallows, are used for soothing infusions. It is much loved by pollinators, especially bees and bumblebees.

Care

It can be prone to hollyhock rust, a fungal disease that spots the leaves: good air circulation and avoiding wetting the foliage help. Removing faded flowers prolongs the bloom and limits self-seeding where it is not wanted.