With its luminous colors and beautiful flowers, a valued asset for every garden. The real eye-catcher of the hollyhock is its height. The flower attracts attention with its huge blossoms which shine in several bright colors.

The origin of the hollyhock flower lies in eastern and southern Europe as well as the middle and far-eastern region. Its genus was first published in the year 1753 by Carl von Linné in the species plantarum. Albert Spear Hitchcock and Jesse Robinson Green determined the (alcea rosea) as a Lectotypus in the year 1929 in the standard-species of Linnaean genera of phaneograms.

. Plant Description .

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is a biennial plant, meaning the foliage appears the first season as a low clump of leaves, followed the second year by the flowers. The leaves are deep green, leathery, and two to three inches across with a rounded or scalloped shape. It’s a member of the Malvacea family, which also includes hibiscus, okra and cotton. There are about 70 species of this summer-blooming flower that grow between 3 to 9 feet tall, depending on the variety.





. Plant Profile .

Plant family: Mallow family (Malvaceae)

Genus: Hollyhock (Alcea)

Species: Ordinary hollyhock (Alcea rosea)

Trivial name: Hollyhock, common hollyhock, common peony

Origin: Balkans, Southern to Eastern Europe, middle and far-eastern region

perennial, herbaceous plant

Plant height up to 100 to 200 cm, rarely up to 300 cm.

Flowering period depends on location and lies between May and September

multi-colored, bowl-shaped blossoms ranging in color from white to dark violet

deciduous, rounded, dented, rough and big leaves,

. Starting Seeds Indoors .

Hollyhock seeds are often planted directly in the garden,but you can get an early start by planting them indoors.

There are two times of year that hollyhock seeds may be planted in most gardening zones: Spring and fall. The recommended planting time is fall. If you plant seeds in the fall, hollyhocks have a good chance of blossoming in the next year. If you plant the seeds in the spring, you may have to wait a full year before you see blooms.

Purchase hollyhock seeds in your choice of variety and color. Hollyhocks come in an assortment of shades of white, yellow, pink, maroon and red flowers.

To Increase your chance of first-year bloom. Start hollyhock seeds indoors in the fall. Germinate the seeds in October or November and allow them to grow for a while and experience a winter. This may trick the flowers into blooming the following spring.









Hollyhocks will reseed themselves for subsequent growing years. You can also harvest seeds from plants in the fall.









To start hollyhock seed indoors in the spring, begin in late winter, about nine weeks before the last predicted spring frost in your area.

Because hollyhock seeds are large and have fairly tough seed coats, soaking them in warm water or hot water prior to sowing increases the percentage of seed that germinates. It also causes those to sprout so more quickly.









Sow the seed in seed-starting mix with a little sand mixed in. Cover it lightly with soil, as hollyhock seed needs light in order to germinate. Place the pots on a sunny windowsill, under grow lights or in a cold frame, and keep the soil slightly moist throughout the germination process.

Germination usually occurs in two to three weeks.









Hollyhocks are ready to move to individual pots when the seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall and have at least one set of true leaves (the leaves that emerge after the tiny germination leaves). Select the healthiest seedling in each pot. Remove each seedling with a spoon, working carefully to avoid stress to the roots.



Transplant the seedlings into small pots filled with potting mixture. Indirect light is best for the seedlings, which could be scorched by bright, direct light. Continue to keep the potting mixture lightly moist.



Place each seedling into its own pot of peat-free compost, firm down and water.





Hollyhock seedlings should be allowed to mature indoors until you're sure all danger of frost has passed. Before transplanting, it's important to harden off the seedlings.

Begin by placing the pots in a shady area for two to three hours per day for about a week. For the second week, increase the time outdoors by an hour or so every day as you gradually move the seedlings into brighter light. At the end of the second week, the hollyhocks are ready for their permanent place in the garden.

Now that you know how to grow hollyhock from seeds, Just give it a try and grow it yourself and enjoy growing hollyhocks in borders or against walls and fences where their spectacular flowers stand tall above all else!





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Happy Gardening!