Hollyhock
Alcea rosea
Family: Malvaceae · Also called Alcea, Garden Hollyhock, Rose Mallow, Althaea flexuosa, Althaea rosea var. sinensis, Alcea annua
Green & Fresh · Summer bloomer
The hollyhock is the skyscraper of the cottage garden, towering stems up to 8 feet tall, stacked with saucer-sized blooms that open progressively from bottom to top over many weeks. In colors from jet black through crimson, pink, peach, and primrose to pure white, they create living columns of color against walls and fences.
ambition, fruitfulness, fertility
In the Victorian language of flowers, hollyhock means “Ambition and fecundity”. Hollyhocks traveled the Silk Road from China to Europe, arriving by the 15th century. They became the defining flower of English cottage gardens. In Turkey, they grow wild and are called 'gülhatmi' (rose mallow). Japanese artist Sakai Hōitsu's hollyhock screens are national treasures. The Tokugawa clan used a triple hollyhock leaf as their crest.
Did You Know?
Hollyhock flowers were used to make dyes for food and wine, the deep purple-black varieties produce a particularly intense pigment. Children have made 'hollyhock dolls' for centuries: an upturned flower becomes a ballgown, a bud becomes the head. Ancient Egyptians placed hollyhock wreaths in tombs.
Waste ground, old walls, cottage garden borders, and warm, well-drained soils
Hollyhock is native to Central Asia, China. It naturally grows in waste ground, old walls, cottage garden borders, and warm, well-drained soils.
Scent Profile
“A mild, mallow-like sweetness, nothing powerful, but the flowers produce abundant nectar that makes the plant hum with bees all summer. The scent is more garden-atmosphere than individual perfume.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameAlcea rosea
- FamilyMalvaceae
- Native ToCentral Asia, China
- Bloom SeasonSummer
- LifespanBiennial
Cultural Significance
Hollyhocks traveled the Silk Road from China to Europe, arriving by the 15th century. They became the defining flower of English cottage gardens. In Turkey, they grow wild and are called 'gülhatmi' (rose mallow). Japanese artist Sakai Hōitsu's hollyhock screens are national treasures. The Tokugawa clan used a triple hollyhock leaf as their crest.