Hollyhocks, an American Garden Staple

By Maureen Gilmer

Hollyhocks really came into their own as garden plants during the Victorian era both in Britain and in America. Easily grown from seed, the old standard single strains were as reliable as Priscilla's flowers.

Inexpensive seed that was easy to send by mail made them a common sight on the frontier. Old photographs often depict these flowers against picket fences of homesteads and farms. This is because they are top-heavy plants that become unstable in the wind. Rather than staking they could be conveniently tied to a fence.

The Achilles heel of the plants is their "ugly shins". This is caused by discolored leaves, often spotted with rust and chewed by pests as the plant ages. This made them a staple for the back of beds and flower borders where shorter dahlias would cloak the bottom third.