Hail to the hearty hollyhock

As you continue your quest to find the perfect plant for the garden, add hollyhocks to your list. These easy-to-grow plants, which are old favorites, are garnering more attention as gardening trends evolve.

Renewed interest in cottage gardens, a desire for flowers that are drought and heat tolerant and the introduction of many new varieties are all helping fuel hollyhocks' popularity. (Although hollyhocks are drought tolerant, they bloom better in moist soils.)

The old-fashioned hollyhocks most people are familiar with likely came from western Asia, where they thrived on rocky sites and in dry grassy wastelands.

When I was growing up, hollyhocks were popular choice for many gardens because they were easy to care for. I remember "bottom-up" views of hollyhocks in my grandmother's garden — colorful spires of funnel-shaped flowers rising above huge clusters of leaves. They were more than just showy flowers: To the delight of many children, hollyhocks made delightful dolls, using one blossom as the skirt and another as bonnet.

The scientific name is Alcea rosea, making it a member of the Malvaceae family, which includes hibiscus, okra, lavatera and cotton. All have funnel-shaped flowers. Older varieties have five petals with large floral parts in the center, but many new cultivars have double flowers.

The botanical classification is simple, but the growing habit is not. Many books classify hollyhocks as perennials. In truth, most are biennials that appear to be perennials because their seeds germinate and grow in the same place.

A few hollyhocks are annuals that germinate and flower the first year from seed. During the first year, flowering is sparse, but the second year they show their glorious flowers from May until August.

The rainbow has serious competition from these lovely plants. Hollyhocks range in color from white to true black. In between are pinks, reds, purples, yellows, coral and almost any other color except true blue.

The height range is just as amazing, too. Some of the newer dwarfs grow less than 2 feet high, while some of the old-fashioned varieties will grow to 9 feet or more. That makes them perfect background flowers in borders, along fences or walls.

Several perennial hollyhocks are available. Although these plants may live and flower for several years, these rarely flower as much as new plants started from seed. Fortunately, the seeds are easy to start. The plants thrive in all areas of Utah. Plant them in full sun, as the plant dislikes shade of any kind.