Everwilde Farms - 1/4 lb Hollyhock Garden Flower Seeds - Gold Vault Bulk Seed Packet

This old-fashioned favorite is a popular pick for many flower enthusiasts. Many people plant the large, colorful blossoms in narrow spaces with a lot of headroom, such as along walls or fences. Usually blooms in the second year. As its appearance suggests, Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is a relative of the exotic hibiscus of the tropics; records show that the first of the plants brought to Europe came with the Crusaders from the Holy Land, by way of their original home, China. The name is derived from "holy" and "hoc," an Anglo Saxon word for this type of flower. Hollyhock has become a traditional favorite in the arid southwestern regions of the United States and in Mexico because of its hardy survival of blazing sun and persistent drought. The Alcea rosea plant has a history of medicinal use; also, the stems contain a tough fiber that has been used for making both paper and cloth, and dyes of various colors can be obtained from the petals. For centuries, little girls have found their own use for this plant by making "hollyhock dolls" from the blossoms. To make your own, pluck a hollyhock flower from the stem and turn it face down to find a lady wearing a silky ballroom gown.