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Russian Hollyhock (Perennial)

Alcea rugosa

$9.50

Take one all-time cottage garden favourite, change its flowers from pink to butter yellow, make it perennial rather than biennial, and throw in complete resistance to hollyhock/mallow rust (Puccinia malvacearum)– and there you have it! What’s not to love! This is one of my favourite new discoveries and I’m so happy to be able to share it!

Native to grasslands of Ukraine, Crimea, the Caucasus, and across central Asia to Kazakhstan and Mongolia, this tall herbaceous floriferous perennial is both heat and drought tolerant (once established), and cold hardy, and has an exceptionally long flowering period.  Spires of the yellow flowers arise in spring from the evergreen basal rosette of lobed, slightly crinkled leaves. The large trumpet shaped flowers advertise their wares perfectly and are magnets for bees and apparently butterflies, though I haven’t noticed this as much.  Height 120 – 180cm ( a little shorted than A. rosea), so best against a wall or at the back of a border. Winter dormant. Disease resistant.

9cm pot

 

Cultivation

Plant in full sun or part shade in well drained soil. Avoid windy spots. Stake plants in spring.

Uses

All parts are edible – the leave are somewhat coarse but can be chopped into salads and stir fries. The flower petals can be used in salads, and whole flowers make a dramatic statement as cake decorations or to garnish a platter. Entire spires can be used in flower arrangements.

Russian Hollyhocks are great pollinator plants, providing flowers rich in pollen and nectar all summer long. The leaves can be cut periodically for biomass, mulch or as part of a timed syntropic pruning.

Medicinal Uses

Hollyhocks are closely related to marshmallow and have similar medicinal uses.

History / Folklore / Further Info

Fun Fact: Each individual flower closes up at night and opens the next day!

Jo Says

I’m in loooooove with these!! I’m planting them everywhere – in the home garden, vege garden, food forest, along the driveway…wherever I feel like a bit of buttery yellow cheer!

Shipping Advice

N.B. Shipping costs are added AFTER you have placed your order, you will then be emailed an invoice with bank details. 

Smallest box rate:
This can fit up to 9 plants in 9cm pots.

Shipping a single tree can be expensive. We may be able to fit more in the box for the same price! See our shipping rates for single and multi tree boxes.

Combining sizes?
No problem, we will work out the best rate for you once you’ve placed your order.

Medical disclaimer

Jo has a passion for growing herbs but is not a qualified herbalist and has no medical background.

We are lucky to have Patricia Beagle working here at times, who is qualified, and some of her advice does appear on these pages, but herbs act differently for different people and can interact with other medicines. We therefore always recommend that you consult with your own qualified health-care practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing or on any medications.

Kahikatea Farm cannot take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of the plants or a plant not having the effect it is reputed to have. 

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