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Hollyhock
Alcea rosea
Hollyhock blooms from June through August.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Hollyhock
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–8. Expect it to reach about 6 ft tall and 2 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Hollyhock
Plant Hollyhock in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 5, the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 8, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from June to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 5, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 5 in April. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Hollyhock get?
6 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult2 ftwideSee Hollyhock in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Hollyhock
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Hollyhock about 2 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Hollyhock to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Hollyhock's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 7 published sources on July 30, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenAlcea roseaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenPlant Finder (Alcea rosea (single), the single-flowered seed strain)height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionAlcea roseaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- everwilde.comEverwilde Farms seed store (Alcea rosea)height, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- RHSRoyal Horticultural Society (Alcea rosea)height, spread and sun
- University of Illinois ExtensionHollyhock, Alcea roseaheight, sun and trait tags
- University of Illinois ExtensionHollyhock, Alcea roseaheight and sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 6 varieties across 4 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
- Chater's Double Red
- Chater's Double Violet
- Chater's Double White
- Chater's Double Yellow
- Crème de Cassis
- Nigra
Compare every variety in the Hollyhock group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chater's Double Red | Red | Jun–Aug | Zones 3–8 | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
| Chater's Double Violet | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 3–8 | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
| Chater's Double White | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 3–8 | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
| Chater's Double Yellow | Yellow | Jun–Aug | Zones 3–8 | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
| Crème de Cassis | Red | Jun–Aug | Zones 3–8 | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
| Hollyhockthis page | Pink | Jun–Aug | Zones 3–8 | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
| Nigra | Purple | Jun–Aug | Zones 3–8 | Full sun | 6 ft × 2 ft |
Good to know about Hollyhock
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
Handling the foliage can cause skin irritation or contact dermatitis in some people, and mild stomach upset in animals that eat it. Wear gloves. per Cornell
Worth knowing
Most old-fashioned hollyhocks are biennials or short-lived perennials: a leaf rosette the first year, flowers the second, then decline. A stand lasts by self-seeding. per NC State and South Dakota
Does it need staking?
Penn State lists it among top-heavy plants needing support; NC State says it usually doesn't. In windy, exposed or rich sites, stake the spikes; sheltered ones stand alone. per Penn State and NC State
Rust is the signature disease
Hollyhock rust, a fungus, is its most common disease: orange-brown pustules under the leaves, yellow spots on top, holed lacy foliage. It defoliates but rarely kills the plant. per Wisconsin and Iowa State
Managing hollyhock rust
Control is cultural first: bin infected lower leaves as spots appear, clear all stalks at season's end (the fungus overwinters on debris), pull mallow weeds, and water at the base. per Illinois and Michigan State
Safe around pets and children
The ASPCA classifies it non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and NC State lists no poisoning concern. A genuinely low-risk plant to have around pets and children. per ASPCA and NC State
Draws bees and hummingbirds
The large open flowers draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and the plant also feeds songbirds. The broad funnel shape gives bees easy access to pollen and nectar. per NC State
What pairs well with Hollyhock
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Aster
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Creeping Phlox
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in mid spring and overlaps into this one's season; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; taller at 20 ft, for the layer behind it.
Wisteria
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; climbs to 26 ft behind it, height without the footprint.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 10 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Windflower
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.