'Blacknight' Hollyhock (Alcea)
Perennial
- Six-foot-tall spikes of flowers tower in the garden!
- Nearly black cup-shaped flowers have yellow centers.
- Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
- 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: Deep purple to black
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Summer
Bloom time: Summer
Features: Rabbit resistant, juglone tolerant
Uses: Background, border
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. ‘Blacknight’ is a hardy perennial unlike other varieties of Hollyhock.
Maintenance & Pruning: Prune back after flowering to 6-8 inches above the ground. Staking may be required in high wind locations.
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.
Loving my hollyhock so far! I purchased mine about one month ago. It arrived in good shape and and I planted it in a deep planter on my patio. It’s been healthy and growing a lot since then! I’m unsure if I should expect it to flower this year though.
This is a beautiful plant. I can't wait for it to become established. It does require watered frequently. It will definitely let you know when it needs water.
It arrived 6/6/24, and it is now 6/11/24. It arrived alive and well.
Was delivered very fast and is a great plant.
Your plant products are great.
It came with many crispy leaves and it did not survive after it was planted in the ground
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look! Please contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants so we can better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Dear Great Garden Plants
Just ordered another three plants from your business! The delivery service said today that they delivered those plants!!! No delivery!
Arrived quickly...healthy..well packaged
My plant looked fairly pitiful when opened. I thought that it would perk back up once planted and given some needed TLC. However, the plant never bounced back shriveled and died within just a few days.
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a look. Please contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants. Our customer service team would love to hear more from you about your experience with this plant. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
The holllyjocks arrived very dry and thirsty,afterwaterimg
One plant wilted terribly i don't think either one will survive they where jusst so dried out when they arrived!!
Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
I ordered two of these pretty flowers and only one made it. It is growing the green bed nicely and I can't wait to see if it has any flower stalks next year. The second one died almost immediately, nothing came of it. I must say that I have noticed this year that the items being shipped via FedEx are arriving looking dead or are dead. I called the FedEx customer service to ask why there was a delay and I was told that it depends on the selection of the shipper, they no longer deliver as scheduled, they pull priority pkgs first and then the rest just sit around the warehouse until they have truck full of the non priority to make it worth the gas. I was livid.
Hello! We apologize that you received plants that are not up to our standards. While we try our best to provide exceptional service, some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control, and issues like this can sometimes happen. Please email pictures of the plants to [email protected], making sure to put your order number and name in the subject line so that we may provide the best assistance possible. Rest assured, we have a guarantee on all our plants. Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2024! If you received your plants within that time frame, we would happily apply your warranty once we receive the pictures. Happy Gardening!
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/pages/our-guarantee
Just waiting for the plants to flower
I’m really excited about this plant, however it hasn’t grown much since planting a few weeks ago, unlike the foxglove that I bought here that is exploding! Hoping for the best!!
'Blacknight' Hollyhock
I was astonished at the quality of the Hollyhock plants and the the care and protection used for the shipping of the plants. They were so healthy! We have planted them and they are looking great so far, cannot wait to see them bloom! We will definitely buy from you again!
Are these biannual and I won’t see blooms my first year?
This plant is a perennial and not a biennial. With proper care and 6 plus hours of sun you should have beautiful deep purple to black blooms.
I live in zone 9b in Florida where it’s hot and humid most of the time… Will it thrive here?
This plant is suitable for your zone and planted in rich, moist and well-drained soil.
How long from planting does it take for hollyhock to bloom
It depends on growing conditions. However, you will typically see t least some bloom in a perennial's second or third year after planting.
Is the flower a single
Yes, this is a single plant, there is one plant per pot.