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Hollyhocks

Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
in Plants
Hello,

If I buy hollyhocks from a garden centre (the kind they're selling in 1ltr pots that are currently maybe 6" tall) will they flower this year? I always get a bit confused by biennials! 

Also, being biennial would they completely die at the end of this season and not come back next year.

Thanks in advance 

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Posts

  • rossdriscoll13rossdriscoll13 Posts: 234
    @Robert West a biennial is a plant that completes it’s life cycle in 2 years.  So the first year it puts down roots and in the second year flowers.  Because the plants being sold are in 1 litre pots they should flower this year and then once they have finished flowering they will die.  I would actually look for the perennial type which come back every year.
  • McRazzMcRazz Posts: 440
    Yes, they should flower this year.

    They're biennial so usually die away, but i have a number of stalwarts in my garden that have been coming back from the base for three years now, possibly longer as they were there when I moved in. 

    Following your successful flowering just collect the seed and grow more, no need to buy actual plants after that. 

    Hard to beat a good Hollyhock - Best of luck!
  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    @rossdriscoll13 thank you. 

    Are there perennial hollyhocks?! That would be perfect. I thought they were all biennial. Can you, or anyone else, suggest any good choices. I'd like then to be 1.5 - 2m tall. White, pale pink or pale purple. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I thought hollyhocks were technically perennial but usually grown as biennials because they tend to get rust and decline after a year or two, and they're easy from seed. I could be wrong on that though.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Agree with @JennyJ, they are perennial, but often decline after 2 years.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,291
    I bought some this time last year and they didn’t flower (or grow much) so I’m hoping they will do something this year. 


    Which reminds me, I sowed teasels in Autumn 2021 and planted them out last Summer so they should flower this Summer 🤞🏼
    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • rossdriscoll13rossdriscoll13 Posts: 234
    @Robert West Nigra, halo series (various ones available) Chater’s Double are all good ones to grow.  You can also grow them from seed.
  • WAMSWAMS Posts: 1,960
    Chaters Doubles do go on for a few years though this winter appears to have done most of mine in. They are frilly and lovely things and also bee magnets!
  • Simone_in_WiltshireSimone_in_Wiltshire Posts: 1,073
    Agree with WAMS. My Chaters Double grew 2 meters high and had flowers in the same year. It needed support. 

    I ♥ my garden.

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited March 2023
    I grew double hollyhocks one wet summer (long memory).  The flowers were constantly wet, and rotted.  They are now permanently off my list.

    Nothing like the traditonal hollyhocks, en masse, whatever colour they decide.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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