Hollyhocks

Alcea rosea

Hollyhocks are such fun, whimsical flowers! These are biennials, meaning they grow just leaves the first year, and then flower stems the following year. Hollyhocks are absolutely worth the wait, as they grow massive plumes of flowers that can get up to eight feet tall. The individual flowers on the spire open from the base to the top, prolonging the bloom period even further. They look gorgeous against a tall fence line or at the back of a border.

While they may be biennials, they produce many seeds and reseed themselves in clusters that return each year. Sow in late summer or early fall for blooms the following summer.