Large & luscious silky black blooms to 4” across, centered with a ruby ring will be THE focal point in your garden, especially since they're so long blooming on their 8' tall stalks. I grew these with Verbascum 'Southern Charm', Salpiglossis sinuata 'Chocolate', Nicotiana 'Lime Green', Orlaya grandiflora, & Hollyhock 'Double Apricot'. Smashing! if I do say so myself! Rich soil is best. Blooms first year & self-sows!

Annie

Full sun		Avg./Low water
Biennial All zones

A little note:
Hollyhocks are notoriously rusty creatures, and even those types that are less prone to rust still get a few spots in the garden, particularly if you overhead water or live somewhere with fog! The particular species of rust that effects hollyhocks, Puccinia malvacearum, effects only members of the Mallow family, and will not spread to other plants. To control rust, simply remove the rusty leaves, and refrain from overhead watering. You should also plant your hollyhocks in as much sun as you can provide. Our plants have to be overhead watered in their 4” pots, and though we take many preventative measures to control rust, it is very hard to eradicate it completely – after all – the spores are everywhere (they're in your garden right now!), airborne, and particularly drawn to hollyhocks. We may send out plants that have a few spots of rust now and again, but on the whole, the plants are healthy, and we try not to send out any material that is heavily infested. Rust very seldom kills the plant, and if the plants are in good soil in good sun, and watered correctly, rust is primarily a cosmetic problem. Even the species hollyhocks that are less rust prone than the Alcea rosea hybrids sometimes get a little bit of rust! It's true! There's just no way to have everything in the garden be completely sterile, you know? If you unilaterally object to the occasional rust spot, it could be that hollyhocks are not for you!