Hollyhock – planting and care

Scientific name (Latin): Alcea rosea

Family: Mallow family (Malvaceae)

The hollyhock propagates itself through seed pods, which you can even collect and dry to use as seeds for future plantings if you wish. But to start with, of course, you'll need to buy seeds to grow your very first hollyhock in the garden.

For the hollyhock to thrive, it should be given a sunny spot with well-fertilized soil that drains well. Nothing harms the hollyhock more than being left in damp, shady conditions. To help the plant withstand the wind, it's best to plant it against a wall, a picket fence, or a trellis where it can find support when strong gusts come through. Over time, it may also be necessary to stake the tall stems to prevent them from breaking.

• You can either sow directly in the growing location in May–June, or in a greenhouse for later transplanting. The seeds should be placed about 1.5 cm deep in very nutrient-rich, well-fertilized, and moisture-retentive soil. Potting soil is perfect for this.

• Don’t sow the seeds too early, as you risk premature blooming. It's often better to wait until June–July before sowing the seeds.

• If you start your plants indoors, they need to be hardened off before transplanting. This is done by gradually acclimating the plant to outdoor conditions over the course of a week, letting it stay outside for a couple of hours a day. Increase the outdoor time gradually throughout the week.

• Transplanting can take place as soon as the risk of frost has passed.

• Keep in mind that there should be about 40 cm of space between plants to give your hollyhock enough room to grow.

• Place the plants into the soil at a depth of around 40 cm. Then fill in with soil and gently pat down just enough to stabilize the plant in its new spot. Water generously right after planting, and then regularly throughout the summer and as long as it continues blooming in the fall. However, be careful not to overwater.

• Fertilize your hollyhock regularly to encourage good blooming and to reduce the risk of hollyhock rust.

There are a few things worth knowing to help your hollyhock grow, thrive, and continue blooming like a late-summer queen year after year. For one, you’ll need to help keep spiders away, as they often gather around this floral masterpiece. In addition, you should prune the hollyhock's stems after flowering in late autumn to help it overwinter and bloom again the following year.

A full pruning down to ground level can be beneficial to rejuvenate and refresh the entire plant, and this is generally easier to do in spring than in autumn. Hollyhocks should be watered regularly, but avoid overwatering, as too much moisture does more harm than good. Excessive dampness increases the risk of hollyhock rust, a fungal disease that can be quite difficult to eliminate once it takes hold.

To reduce the risk of your hollyhock getting rust, it's important to fertilize the plants regularly and ensure they are not growing in overly damp or dark conditions. If you do notice signs of rust on your plants, remove all affected leaves and burn them. Double-flowered hollyhocks are more susceptible to rust than single-flowered ones.

Before winter, you should prune your hollyhock, which is best done just before flowering stops, around the end of September. Additionally, it’s helpful to provide some winter protection for your hollyhock, especially if you live in colder regions, to shield it from the harshest frost and cold. It doesn't need to be anything complicated, as the hollyhock is a hardy plant, but you can add some twigs or dry leaves in late autumn as winter approaches. However, make sure it doesn’t become damp under the cover, as this increases the risk of fungal diseases.

The hollyhock originates from China and the Aegean Sea and has been cultivated in Norway since around the 1600s. However, the first time it was found in the wild in the Nordic countries was in the 19th century in southern Sweden. This was published in Skånes flora in 1870.

Today, the hollyhock is primarily grown as an ornamental plant, but it also has a history as a medicinal plant, with both flowers and roots used in a similar manner to its relative, the pharmacist's mallow. The hollyhock was believed to have wound-healing properties and was even used to treat eye diseases. In some parts of the world, hollyhock is still used as an alternative medicine. Its genus name, alcea, means "protection" and "strength," which reflects its tradition as a medicinal plant.

The hollyhock is easily grown from seeds, and with the right type and a little care and attention, you’ll have a perennial plant that will put on a fantastic flower show in your garden year after year. With its late blooming period, it is sometimes called the queen of late summer – a title the hollyhock definitely lives up to during its flowering time. Only a true queen can bring color to the fall the way the hollyhock does.

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