Overview

Alcea rugosa is a columnar upright perennial in the genus Alcea, part of the Malvaceae family, with deciduous foliage. Alcea rugosa grows best in full sun, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H5. Suggested uses include cottage and informal garden, flower borders and beds and wall side borders. It is native to East European Russia, Krym, North Caucasus, South European Russia, Transcaucasus and Ukraine.

About

Alcea rugosa, the Russian hollyhock, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is native to Ukraine, Crimea, south European Russia, and the Caucasus, and has been introduced as a garden escapee into Wisconsin and Maryland in the United States.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Alcea rugosa

About the genus

Alcea is a genus of over 80 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks. They are native to Asia and Europe. The single species of hollyhock from the Americas, the streambank wild hollyhock, belongs to a different genus.

Wikipedia contributors, "Alcea", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Alcea

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Alcea

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Well-drained

Aspect

South-facing

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness

H5

Plant details

Alcea rugosa size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Perennial

Habit

Columnar upright

Foliage

Deciduous

Suggested uses

Cottage and informal garden, Flower borders and beds, Wall side borders

Native to

East European Russia, Krym, North Caucasus, South European Russia, Transcaucasus, Ukraine

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Alcea rugosa

Propagation

Seed sown in gentle heat in mid-winter, or in situ in spring

Pest resistance

Cutworms, Slugs, Capsid bugs, Aphids, Mallow flea beetles

Disease resistance

Hollyhock rust

Frequently asked questions