Annuals & Biennials

Althea
Althaea
hollyhock

Height 2-8 ft (60-240 cm)
Planting distance 9-24 in (23-60 cm)
Flowers midsummer to fall
Heavy, rich soil
Sunny site
Hardy biennial or annual

Hollyhocks (Althaea species, now classified as Alcea) are old-fashioned garden favorites. Their towering spikes of large, single or double, pink, red, dark crimson, yellow, or white flowers have a strong impact wherever they are grown. They are well suited to a cottage garden or the back of an annual or herbaceous border, ideally placed behind much shorter plants to show off their stately magnificence of up to 8 ft (240 cm). The large, light green leaves are lobed, rough, and hairy.

Popular species and cultivars
The true species hollyhock (Althaea, or Alcea, rosea) has been superseded by cultivars bearing single or double flowers in mixed or single colors.
'Chater's Double Hybrids'
bear peony-shaped double flowers in a variety of colors.
'Majorette' is a dwarf cultivar reaching 2-21/2 ft (60-75 cm) high with double, fringed flowers in a mixture of pastel shades.
'Nigra' has single, rich chocolate-maroon flowers and stands 5 ft (150 cm) high
'Pinafore Hybrid' have semi-double and single, fringed flowers in pink, carmine, rose, yellow, and white. They grow up to 36-40 in (90-100 cm) high.
'Powderpuff Hybrids' have double red, pink, rose, white, and yellow flowers, and reach 6-8 ft (180-240 cm) high.
'Summer Carnival' has fully double blooms covering the entire length of its 5-6 ft (150-180 cm) high stems. The flowers come in a wide range of colors. This cultivar is an annual, so seeds sown in spring produce flowering plants in summer.

Annuals
and
Biennials