🌸 Flower
ANX-FLOWER-0000032
Hollyhock
Alcea rosea
Hollyhock (Alcea rosea), a robust biennial or short-lived perennial of the Malvaceae family, is a cottage-garden classic prized for its tall flower spikes of large, open funnel-shaped blooms.
Log in to request a quotation- Family
- Malvaceae
- Plant type
- Biennial or short-lived perennial
- Bloom color
- Pink, purple, red, white, or yellow
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Mature height
- 150-250 cm cm
- Sun requirements
- Full sun
- Fragrance
- Not noted as fragrant
- Native region
- Not native to Britain/Ireland; believed native to southwestern China, long cultivated and naturalized across Europe and Asia
Growing
Growing Conditions
- Water requirements
- Regular water; prefers well-drained soil and does not tolerate waterlogging.
- Climate requirements
- Fully hardy in temperate climates (RHS hardiness H5); tolerates coastal exposure.
- Soil types
- Chalk, loam, or sand; tolerates acid, alkaline, or neutral pH provided it is well-drained.
- Propagation method
- Seed (sown under gentle heat or direct-sown in spring)
Ecology
Pollinators & Toxicity
- Pollinator value
- Nectar-rich flowers attract bumblebees, other bee species, and butterflies; listed by RHS as a plant for pollinators.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses per ASPCA, though the sap/resin can cause mild skin or GI irritation.
Use
Uses & Economic Importance
- Uses
- Cottage and informal garden borders, cut flowers, wall-side and coastal plantings, natural dye source (pink-purple hues)
- Economic importance
- Primarily an ornamental cottage-garden plant with minor use as a natural dye plant; not a significant commodity crop.
Trade
Marketplace
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