| Identity card of the plant | |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Alcea Rosea |
| Common name | Hollyhock |
| Family | Malvaceae |
| Origin | South Africa / Middle East |
| Size | up to 3 meters high |
| Foliage | Deciduous and green |
| Flowering | Pink, red, white, yellow, purple, orange and black in summer |
| Exhibition | Sunny, partial shade |
| Ground | Humiferous, rich and well drained |
| Rusticity | Rustic withstands temperatures down to -35°C |
Considered a perennial plant, hollyhocks are appreciated for their ornamental character, but also for their atypical look. Far from the traditional rose bush, it has a wild charm and a great ease of cultivation.
Hollyhock, an easy-going plant
Once installed, hollyhocks add color and elegance to your garden. Appreciated for its long stems and original flowers, it enjoys a unique style and likes to walk along the walls to enjoy a little shade. Her appearance has inspired many of her nicknames, which is why she is also known as papal rose, alcée rose, primerose or passerose.
Its rounded leaves are dressed in an embossed appearance and a dynamic green. Every year with the arrival of summer, the deciduous foliage is accompanied by small floral stems. The pink, red, white, yellow, purple, orange or black flowers open successively throughout the stem between June and September.
The advantages of hollyhock:
Although it is very often planted for its beauty and timeless look, hollyhocks have many advantages:
• Its rusticity and ease of maintenance
;• Its beauty and ability to adapt quickly;
• Its emollient or softening virtues. It is used in particular in infusion to treat cough and asthma for example;
• Its wild look and large flowers capable of attracting pollinating insects, guaranteeing a healthy garden.
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When and how to sow hollyhocks?
Plant hollyhocks from September to May, in rich, well-drained soil. To install it, simply:
• Allow the hollyhocks cup to soak before planting;
• Dig the soil to remove pebbles, weeds
• Add a little potting soil and gravel;
• Dig a hole at least twice as large as the bucket;
• Gently untangle the roots;
• Install the plant in its place and tamp lightly before watering.
Where to plant a hollyhock?
Install your hollyhock, preferably at the bottom of the massif or along the walls. It prefers sunny and partial shaded locations, away from drafts and frost.
How to care for hollyhocks?
The hollyhocks require little maintenance since they are relatively resistant.
Watering and cleaning: Simply water it abundantly during dry periods and remove its wilted flowers to avoid unwanted multiplication.
Stake: If you live in a windy area, consider adding a stake to prevent the stems from bending.
Should hollyhocks be protected in winter?
The hollyhocks are a hardy plant, however it sometimes fears the cold. That's why it is strongly advised to take care of it when temperatures drop. To protect it, it is necessary to adapt the technique to its planting.
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Indeed, if your hollyhocks are potted, bring it into a room protected from frosts such as a greenhouse, a veranda or a garage with a window. In this way, you also protect it from cold rains.
In open ground, winter protection is different, you have to cover the feet of your roses with a thick mulch and / or a cover of dead leaves.
Hollyhocks are sometimes invasive:
When the stems lined with flowers wilt, it is advisable to cut them in order to prevent the seeds from sowing themselves, not to mention that they disperse easily with the wind. The hollyhocks can become invasive, it is necessary to regulate its development if you do not want to see it take possession of the garden.
What are the diseases, pests or parasites capable of attacking your hollyhock?
Like all plants in the garden, hollyhocks can be attacked by ants and aphids. However, its main disease remains rust! To learn how to diagnose it, look at its leaves and watch for the appearance of yellow piercing punctuations. To overcome it or prevent its appearance, bet on a treatment with Bordeaux mixture and remove the impacted leaves.