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Hollyhocks are tall ornamental plants that are grown for their large, colorful flowers. They belong to the mallow family, Malvaceae. The scientific name is Alcea (Althaea) rosea. They are native to China, but they have become a common garden plant in the United States.

The flowers, which grow all along the straight stem, are round and open wide. They may be either single or double blossom plants, and they come in a variety of colors, including pink, yellow, salmon, red, white, purple and a deep burgundy.

Hollyhocks thrive in well-drained soil with full sun exposure. They bloom from mid-summer to early fall. If the dead blossoms are picked from the stems, they will bloom longer. When deciding where to plant them, consider that they can grow tall. Their height at maturity depends upon the variety chosen and can vary from two feet to nine feet. This makes them popular for growing along borders, fences and walls. If you have much wind, consider staking them to give them support. 

My own hollyhocks do well at the west end of my front porch, with a southern exposure. When the flowers fade, the plant dries, and the plant can be cut down. The seed pods can be saved to generate new plants.

Hollyhocks are half-hardy biennials. Biennials require two years to complete their life cycle. They produce only foliage and roots the first year. The blooms will appear the second growing season. Hollyhocks can reseed and appear to be perennial. They can be started outdoors if you are patient enough to wait a year, but some gardeners start seeds indoors during the winter and the plants will flower the following summer. There are also annual varieties of hollyhocks that bloom the same year that the seeds are planted. Hollyhocks, especially the darker, red colored ones, attract hummingbirds and bees.

A fungal disease, commonly referred to as rust, can attack the leaves of the hollyhock plant. While the foliage is left with an unpleasant appearance, the flowers remain attractive. Treatment requires a fungicide spray program. It is desirable to keep the rust contained to the lower leaves of the plant. If desired, shorter flowers may be planted in front of the hollyhocks to hide this rust from view.

The roots of some species of hollyhock plants possess medicinal properties. 

A fun thing to do with children is to make Hollyhock dolls. These steps came from Better Homes and Gardens.com

1. Choose a fully opened hollyhock blossom to form the skirt of the doll.

2. Pinch out the pistil and stamens. Turn the blossom upside down.

3. Push a toothpick through the flower with the blunt end at the bottom. Thread on as many blossoms as you wish.

4. Choose a flower bud or another blossom for the doll’s body. Leave about a quarter inch of the toothpick exposed at the top to secure the doll’s head.

5. Choose a bud or seedpod to use for the doll’s head. Another blossom can then be placed on top to become a stylish hat.

You will find many creative ideas for making these dolls on Pinterest.

Joy Ceraldi is a Master Gardener with The Ohio State University Extension Offices in Sandusky and Ottawa counties.

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