'Mars Magic' Hollyhock (Alcea)
Perennial
- Large, red flowers with yellow centers attract pollinators!
- Grows up to six feet tall with sturdy stalks.
- Low maintenance and easy to grow in sunny gardens.
- Zones 3-9, sun, 5-6’ tall and 24” wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Hollyhocks (or Alcea) have long been an old-fashioned cottage garden staple. This sun-loving classic boasts vibrant flowers, tall stems, and prominent lower foliage, which makes quite a statement in the landscape. Hollyhocks are easy to grow in rich soil and are fairly low maintenance, only requiring a heavy trim after flowering. Even near black walnut trees, hollyhocks manage to find a way to shine. Plant it as a specimen or in masses for a tall wall of color that will never cease to impress.
Details
Common name: Hollyhock
Zone: 3-9
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours sun)
Height x width: 5-6’ X 24"
Flower color: Bright Red
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Mid-Summer
Bloom time: Mid-Summer
Features: juglone tolerant, pollinator friendly
Uses: Border, mass plantings
How to Grow
Light: Full sun
Water: Average, keep well-watered until established, once established they can tolerate some drought.
Spacing: 24 inches
Fertilizing: Hollyhocks benefit from light fertilizer in the spring.
Winterizing: Prune back 6-8 inches above the ground before over-wintering. Additional mulching is optional. Hollyhocks are typically treated as a biennial or a short-lived perennial.
Maintenance & Pruning: Prune back after flowering to 6-8 inches above the ground. Stalking may be required in high wind locations.
Other: Hollyhocks are great self-seeders and can form colonies in the garden.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
Last year I purchased Mars Nagic Hollyhock....this year...spectacular
These looked great when they arrived and are already blooming.
arrived in great packaging. plants were watered, wrapped in plastic bag, inserted in a protected sleeves.
I purchased 2 other plants in addition to this one. Your plants are beautiful, arrive healthy and striving. PLEASE so not send a review for every single plant I buy. 1 review per purchase is enough
Arrived in perfect condition. Planted them in July. Will have to wait till next year to see how they do.
Great so far . Thanks so much for your plants
Bye for now
At this point in the growing season (mid July), I was expecting a more mature plant with at least some buds). Such was not the case, and I am disappointed at the prospect that there likely will be no flowers this summer.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.
Plants were well packaged, alive and healthy upon arrival. Can't wait to see how they look in a couple of months!
Love it
I love the way my order was shipped and delivered. My plants were healthy and happy and not under any stress. My hollyhocks is growing fantastic and looks great
'Mars Magic' Hollyhock
I was absolutely amazed when I opened the box! Beautiful, large, healthy plants! Well packaged. I will be buying more from Great Garden plants!
It's growing very well so far, looking forward to seeing it Bloom.
When should I plant hollyhocks?
The rule of thumb is to plant after the threat of frost has passed in your area in spring or at least six weeks before the first hard frost of fall in your area. You can learn more about frost dates here: https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/frost-dates-explained-gardening-for-each-zone-in-spring-fall/. Our guarantee can be found here: https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
Is this flower toxic to cats? I searched for non toxic plants and flowers
'Mars Magic' Hollyhock is not toxic to cats. It is important to note that ornamental plants are intended to be just that – ornamental. They should not be consumed by people or pets
Will these hollyhocks bloom the first year I plant them? Are they one-year old biennials? Will they self seed the following year?
Hi there! We ship young plants that may not bloom in the first year as they focus on establishing their roots and foliage. In the second year, they have more energy to put into growth, and by the third year, they are growing and flowering vigorously. Hollyhocks have the ability to self-seed under certain conditions.
Shipping rates
Hi there! You can find our shipping policy and prices here:
Do these plants spread?
Hollyhock plants are self-seeding so it's possible it will spread beyond where you plant it.