Hollyhocks are edible and all parts of the hollyhock can safely be eaten.
The flowers of hollyhocks can be eaten raw in salads, by themselves or candied or even used to make tea.
The young leaves of hollyhocks can also be eaten raw or sauteed or used like spinach.
And the roots of hollyhocks can be used in soups, mashes and purees.
Hollyhocks are native to Europe and Asia although they have also become naturalized in many other parts of the world.
Hollyhocks originated in East Asia and were also part of ancient Japanese culture and they spread across Asia and into the Middle east.
To get hollyhocks to bloom in the first year you should start the hollyhocks indoors early enough in spring.
Hollyhocks do grow back every year although they are biennials which means they actually complete their lifecycle in 2 years.
When the hollyhocks come back after they flower and set seed they don't come back in the same place.
Hollyhocks don't flower every year as they are often biennials which means the hollyhocks bloom or flower every other year.
Although some varieties of hollyhocks act as short lived perennials and bloom or flower in their first year.
Regular hollyhocks are biennials or biannual and so the first year they form a leaf rosette and then the second year the hollyhocks shoot up a flower spike and reseed themselves.
Once the seeds are planted the hollyhocks take 10 to 14 days to germinate.
However the time it takes for your hollyhocks to germinate will depend on the temperature of the soil and whether your seeds were started outdoors or indoors.
After 10 to 14 days it can take another 3 to 4 weeks before they are ready to prick out and if the roots are showing at the base of the tray then they're ready to move on.
Hollyhocks will and do grow in shade although hollyhocks prefer indirect sunlight through a window.
When planted outdoors the hollyhocks do best in shade and out of direct sunlight.
The kind of soil that hollyhocks like is rich, loamy and well drained soil which is also moist and fertile and allows for deep root growth.
You should add some finished compost and other amendments at planting time as long as their nutrient needs have been met.
You can plant hollyhocks in the fall by sowing the seeds in September under cover in 3 inch pots which can help the hollyhocks flower in their first summer.
If planting hollyhocks in the fall you should plant the hollyhocks before the ground is frozen.
Hollyhocks grow in USDA hardiness zones of 3-8.
Hollyhocks can also grow in some warmer climates like Zone 10.
In warmer climates you should sow the hollyhock seeds outdoors in early spring, about a week before the last frost.
And in colder climates you should start the hollyhock seeds indoors around 10 weeks before the last frost and then transplant outside a couple of weeks later.
Hollyhocks are hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures as well as frost down to 0 F degrees.
Hollyhocks can also survive late spring freezes although early fall frosts can damage late blooms of Hollyhocks.
Hollyhocks symbolize fertility, ambition, abundance and the circle of life.
Hollyhocks do die down in winter and then come back in spring and summer.
Some hollyhocks do bloom the first year if planted soon enough although in some cases it may take until the second year for the hollyhocks to bloom.
Hollyhocks do attract hummingbirds as well as butterflies so if you want to attract hummingbirds or butterflies then having hollyhocks is a great way to do so.
Brightly colored flowers that are tubular tend to produce the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds.
These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.
Hollyhocks do spread very easily so if you want to prevent the hollyhocks from spreading then you'll need to deadhead the hollyhocks.
When growing hollyhock flowers, you also need to keep an eye out for rust.
Rust will typically attack the lower leaves but it may spread to upper leaves.
Hollyhocks bloom and flower around June through August and continue flowering for at least 2 years.
The time of year that hollyhocks bloom is mid summer from June to August.
Hollyhocks are perennials and do come back every year and hollyhocks are also biennials which self-seed prolifically.
And toward the end of the growing season, when most of the blooms are finished, you can cut down the main stems of your hollyhocks.
If you want the plant to continue coming back year after year, you can leave some seed pods on the stalk.
These will develop, drop, and contribute to more growth in the coming years.
Hollyhocks are not poisonous and they are actually edible.
However hollyhocks when eaten in large amounts may lead to dementia and other health issues but in small amounts Hollyhocks are not dangerous or poisonous.
Hollyhocks like sun although they also do well in shade.
Hollyhocks do not like dry soil and require adequate moisture and good drainage and they also do best in soil that has been amended with compost.
A Hollyhock is a perennial and not an annual.
Hollyhocks are basically biennial or short-lived perennials and in the first year the hollyhocks put on root and foliage growth and in the second they flower, set seed and then die.
Hollyhocks come in colors which include black, yellow, red, white, purple, pink and blue.
And the tall spikes of hollyhocks are covered with blooms from top to bottom.
Hollyhock plant is used for medicine as well as tea and for just use as a flower.
The seed, root, leaf, stem and flower of the Hollyhock plant is used for medicine for treating issues such as pain, stomach ulcers, wound healing, diabetes, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.