Nigra Hollyhock Seeds - Alcea Rosea - Perennial & Edible
Quantity: 40+ seeds
Hollyhock, aka Alcea Rosea, is an edible and ornamental plant in the Marshmallow family, Malvaceae. It originates in Europe, and is a perennial down to zone 5. Plants can grow to 7 feet tall, and reliably produce an abundance of gorgeous blooms year after year. All parts of the plant are technically edible, but the parts most worth eating are the unopened buds and flowers. Hollyhock is closely related to Okra, so it's not surprising that the highly nutritious buds taste similar and can be used in the same ways. The buds taste great in stir fry's and soups, and the flowers can be eaten fresh in salads, deserts, and teas.
Hollyhock is one of the first plants to come up in early spring, and each year it gains vigour, so is able to produce increasingly more buds and blooms. If the flowers go unpicked, they will open and attract a wide range of pollinators.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
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Growing Instructions
Sow Indoors as early as a few weeks before last frost, up to high summer to give the roots enough time to establish as a perennial. Indoor sowing isn't necessary, as it germinates readily in the earth. Hollyhock is hardy down to zone 5, and is not frost tender. It thrives best in full sun, but will also produce a decent harvest when grown in partial shade. It prefers loamy or sandy soils, and doesn’t seem to be particular to PH, but does like the soil to be free draining of water, but quite moist at all times. These plants are heat, deer, and pest resistant, and can provide one with high quality foodand blooms for many years to come.