Jill Spencer. Growing hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) in the garden is the goal of many gardeners who remember these impressive flowers from their youth.The flower stalks on hollyhocks can reach heights of 9 feet (2.7 m.) tall! Hollyhock seedlings are grown in a special planting mixture to promote fast growth. The leaves of the hollyhock plant are large and dark green with a rounded shape. Source: All my favorite flowers. Plant as soon as nursery stock is received. You may choose from a wide variety of hollyhocks, dwarf to tall, single or double blooms. It is an old fashioned biennial or short lived perennial that can grow to 6 feet tall. Bloom colors … Containers for Hollyhock Seed. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Most hollyhocks are biennial, meaning they bloom every other year. Sow your hollyhocks at least one to two months before the first frost usually arrives. Some hollyhocks are biennials and may not yield flowers their first year, but if you follow this basic care regimen, you’ll have a beautiful flower bloom by at least the second year. Deadheading is a method of pruning Hollyhocks that coaxes the flower into blooming until the first frost of the fall. If planted in rows, space rows at least 3 feet apart. Once established in the garden, hollyhock often grow voluntary from seeds dropped during the summer. HOLLYHOCK FOLIAGE: Hairy leaves, 6-8" across, borne in low clumps. The flowers can also be single or double. Because of the height of hollyhocks, it is better to select a location for them that is out of the wind, so you do not need to stake them later to keep them upright. Try to have the soil worked up at least one week before planting time. After your hollyhocks have bloomed, let the seed pods develop and your hollyhocks will re-seed themselves for the next year. They are winter hardy to zone 3. Do not pull this material away from the roots, but set the top of the planting material level with the soil line. In shades of yellow, pink, red, and white, the flowers bloom from the bottom to the top of rigid spikes. Chances are you’ve seen them alongside a barn, in front of a cute cottage-style house, or gracing the front of a white picket fence. Botanical name: Alcea. With a range of 3 to 8 feet tall, even the short end of the height spectrum is big. All Rights Reserved. In zones 9 to 10, young plants are set out in fall and bloom early spring through summer. SOIL: Hollyhocks long have been a favorite of gardeners wanting an old-fashioned look to their flower beds. The flowers can be single, semi-double or double and when they start blooming in July you can expect to have blooms through September. Hollyhocks love full sun – 6 or more hours a day, so plant them on the east, south, or west of your home. Hollyhock, Alcea rosea, is a summer blooming biennial that has an upright habit with thick sturdy stems. Plant hollyhocks at the correct time. Keep water off leaves when watering, to prevent disease problems. To help you decide which variations are best for your gardens, we’ve put together a list of the most popular types of hollyhock flowers: Types Alcea Rosea. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Realcountryliving.com: Growing Hollyhocks. How and When to Deadhead Hollyhocks. PLANT SPACING: Your browser is currently set to block cookies. The flower stalks may reach 9 feet in height; depending on the variety, although even the dwarf varieties are usually 2 to 4 feet tall. Remove any seed-heads that may form, so hollyhock will continue to bloom for several years. Buy your hollyhock seeds, or harvest them from the dried seed pods of spent blooms on established plants. Bloom midsummer-early fall. Bloom midsummer-early fall. Cover your young hollyhock plants with mulch of dried leaves and grass clippings after the first frost. Alcea is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks. Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) tower majestically at the back of a flowerbed on 4- to 5-foot stalks that bear 3- to 6-inch flowers in shades of white to pink to purple, and even yellow hues. Select the location you want your hollyhocks to grow. Allow your perennial hollyhocks to bloom. … Hollyhocks are old and lovely plants that look great in farm and cottage gardens. They will not be as vigorous as new seedlings. Bloom time. Blooms start near the base of the stem and move upward so that 1-1/2 to 2 feet of each stem is covered with bloom throughout the season. They are native to Asia and Europe. Will tolerate moist conditions. Because of the height of hollyhocks, it is better to select a location for them that is out of the wind, so you do not need to stake them later to keep them upright. Firm the soil around the plants and roots by pressing the soil with your hands. If there's one defining feature to describe the hollyhock, it's height. Start annual seeds in tall individual pots (hollyhocks have long … Hollyhocks have large flowers for many weeks in the summer. Don’t fret, just let them get established. Depending on how hollyhock grow in your area, some plants may require staking to support fragile stems in windy areas. Each flower lasts only a few days, but the season of bloom can be from four weeks to three months long. Blooms start near the base of the stem and open upward so that eventually 1 1/2 to 2 feet of the stalk is covered in petals. Hollyhocks. If plantings must be delayed, place the hollyhock in a cool, shaded area and keep the roots moist. Hollyhock plants grow up to 6 feet in height. Cut back after flowering and you may get a second round in the fall. Answered by Nikki on August 3, 2015 Certified Expert By sowing your hollyhock seeds last fall and starting young hollyhock plants then, you have a better chance of your hollyhocks blooming later in the summer than if you had waited to sow seed in the early spring. Keep your soil moist. Don’t get discouraged if your hollyhocks don’t bloom the summer after you plant them – regardless of whether you plant them in spring or summer. Fortunately, you can get a head start by planting your hollyhock seeds in the fall. My Hollyhocks are healthy, but do I deadhead the dried pods or just let them fall off after they bloom? When you have a mass planting of these stately beauties in full bloom, it's really quite a show. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! This gives the seeds time to germinate and establish roots and energy for next year's blooms. Hollyhocks are the epitome of cottage garden plants. Old-fashioned hollyhocks with single or semi-double flowers will bloom the first year if planted early in spring. PLANTING HOLLYHOCK: Flowers can be single or double and grow upward along the stem. Removing spent hollyhock blooms is pretty simple: just pinch or clip off those that have faded and finished flowering, before the seed pod forms. The typical life cycle of these showy flowers is such that they spend the first year developing roots and producing stems and leaf growth. Germinate the seeds in October or November and allow them to grow for a while and experience a winter. SOIL: Four inch double flowers borne on wand-like stems. Hollyhocks do not need much soil coverage to germinate. The single species of hollyhock from the Americas, the streambank wild hollyhock, belongs to a different genus. Hollyhocks have a long blooming season and will flower from mid summer until early fall. Tall and stately, hollyhocks bring a romantic cottage-garden atmosphere to just about any garden setting. Simply using your foot to gently push them into the soil will be deep enough. Planting hollyhock may be done in spring or fall. They can tower above a garden, adding a lovely vertical element to your yard. Fortunately, you can get a head start by planting your hollyhock seeds in the fall. Ha ha ha. Jill Spencer. These chance seedlings may and should be transplanted elsewhere in the garden. Bloom Time: Early to mid-summer. Please turn it on so that you can experience the full capabilities of this site. My glass pickle jar of seed packets, which I store in the refrigerator. Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is a member of the hibiscus family, the same family to which cotton and okra belong. Special offers, discounts, and new products. While there are several hollyhock plant varieties available, some are more popular than others. As cold weather progresses, continue to add mulch and finally clean straw to protect the plants over winter. Did you plant a Hollyhock garden last year that is currently in bloom? Pinch off spent blooms and dead leaves regularly to promote more growth and flowers. The tall elegant flower spikes are produced from the well-known biennials, but you can also try annuals and short-leaved perennials too. Water thoroughly during hot, dry weather. How to grow hollyhock: Plant in full sun in average soil. Select the location you want your hollyhocks to grow. Then, there are my hollyhocks. Most hollyhocks are biennial, meaning they bloom every other year. You can do this throughout the growing season. Will tolerate moist conditions if soil is welldrained. Hollyhock is very easy to grow, preferring a warm, sunny location sheltered from the wind. They now come in a variety of flower colors ranging from reds, pinks, whites, yellow and nearly black burgundy. Wavy or fringed flowers that resemble hibiscus are surrounded by round, fuzzy green leaves. Water and fertilize hollyhocks throughout the growing season for the best appearance and bloom. © 2020 W. Atlee Burpee & Co. All Rights Reserved. ‘ Sunshine’ is part … A soil test will indicate what fertilizers or elements are needed in your soil. Cottage garden stalwarts, hollyhocks are easy to grow from seed and will often obligingly seeding themselves around the garden. Buy your hollyhock seeds, or harvest them from the dried seed pods of spent blooms on established plants. If you live in an area with cold winters, consider starting hollyhock seeds indoors in the fall. Do you know how to preserve the plant and help it bloom a little bit longer this year? Place seeds in individual packets, if you like, before storing them in an airtight container. Hollyhocks in Bloom @ Hollyhock Garden. Leaves. Hollyhocks require well-drained soil and full sun. Water daily for the first few weeks after planting, and regularly after that, keeping the soil is moist but not waterlogged. This site uses cookies to enable shopping cart usage, provide you with relevant product and promotions, and measure performance. Hollyhocks come in a variety of colors including pink, red, yellow, purple, white and even black. They bloom from the bottom of the stalk upward. While Hollyhocks are beautiful they are not without their drawbacks. Hollyhock flower stalks show blooms in all stages, bud, full bloom and fading flower. 'Alcea Rosea' is the most common variety of hollyhock. Hollyhock truly is an old garden favorite, with a long blooming season. Wait until the second year and they should flower. Hollyhock plants grow up to 6 feet in height. Hollyhocks do not usually bloom the first year (though I have found that pink ones sometimes do) at all. Because hollyhocks are biennial, flowers do not appear until the second year of growth. If you trim off the seed pods throughout the summer, your hollyhocks will continue to produce blossoms. Figure Out Where to Plant Your Hollyhocks Remove the straw and mulch from your hollyhock plants in the early spring after the last hard frost. Hollyhocks usually are planted along a fence line or wall and bloom over the course of the summer from the bottom of the stalk up. Select a sunny location sheltered from the wind. Hollyhocks are an old favorite plant that was a common site growing along the foundation of most homes years ago. Hollyhock ‘Sunshine’ This single-flowered cultivar has fresh, pale-yellow flowers. Hollyhock will do well in almost any soil but prefers a well-drained soil with pH 6.0 - 8.0, from slightly acid to alkaline. If you look around, you may notice hollyhocks in the garden of your neighbor, friends or family. Storing Hollyhock Seed. Hollyhocks long have been a favorite of gardeners wanting an old-fashioned look to their flower beds. About Hollyhocks. Your browser's Javascript functionality is turned off. Yes. Water well to eliminate air pockets that may form around the roots. Flowering: Hollyhocks have a long bloom cycle – they bloom for 4 weeks or longer. Makes an excellent screening plant to hide unsightly places. HOLLYHOCK FLOWERS: Four inch double flowers borne on wand-like stems. In a warm well-lighted area sow seeds in seed starting formula and barely cover as light aids germination. Hollyhocks as a rule are considered to be biennials, althought the occasional plant will bloom the first year and the occasional plant will persist as a perennial depending somewhat on their variety and growing conditions. It should be a sunny spot with good, loamy soil that drains well, though hollyhocks are not picky and can grow in almost any type of soil. I'm sorry you are so disappointed. It is an old fashioned biennial or short lived perennial that can grow to 6 feet tall. Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea), with their predominant stems of brightly coloured, double blooms, stand tall amongst the rest of the garden from spring to summer.They can grow up to a whopping 2 metres in height and are ideal as an annual decorative backdrop along sunny walls and fences. Hairy leaves, 6-8" across, borne in low clumps. If your hollyhocks do not flower in the first year, do not pull them out. My plants likely are self-sowing plants from seed-sharing neighbors years ago (relatives are visible in adjacent yards). HOLLYHOCK PRUNING REQUIREMENTS: Most plants will live and bloom for several years in Zones 3-8 if stalks are cut off at the base after flowers have faded. Plus, they bloom to about 1 foot, so ample space should be allocated. In frost-free areas, sow in late winter indoors to flower the same year. If you are in doubt of your soil acidity, make a soil test with one of Burpee’s Soil Test Kits listed in the catalog, or contact your local County Agricultural Agent about soil sampling procedures. A good background companion for shorter plants. Spring plantings will be safer in areas where winters are severe. Ask if you can harvest the seed pods in late summer or early fall. Thank you. Hollyhock leaves are quite handsome, but the flowers are spectacular. This may trick the flowers into blooming the following spring. These stately towers of flowers bloom for a long time in summer in a wide variety of colors. If you look around, you may notice hollyhocks in the garden of your neighbor, friends or family. Sow your hollyhock seeds by lightly broadcasting them on top of the soil. Keep the soil moist at 70-75 degrees F. Seedlings emerge in 10-14 days. Eighteen inches apart. Color: A mix in various shades of pink and white. Usually considered a short-lived perennial in Zones 3-8, but may live for several years if stalks are cut off at their bases after the flowers fade. Zones 3 to 8 begin blooming mid to late summer. Scratch a balanced granular fertilizer into the soil around plants when new foliage is 2 inches high, then switch to a high-phosphorus, water-soluble formula such as 10-30-20 in June. Hollyhocks are beautiful when they bloom, so it’s important to keep the blooms alive for as long as possible. And then, when it starts to get hot in June, they will bloom and they’ll continue to do so all summer. Blooms start near the base of the stem and move upward so that 1-1/2 to 2 feet of each stem is covered with bloom throughout the season. Plus, they bloom, it 's height can be single or semi-double flowers will bloom the year! There 's one defining feature to describe the hollyhock, it 's height the single species of hollyhock do. 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