Alcea, commonly known as hollyhocks, is a genus of more than 80 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, placed in the order Malvales. The genus is native to Asia and Europe, where species grow across a wide range of temperate and semi-arid habitats; the streambank wild hollyhock of the Americas belongs to a separate genus.
Hollyhocks are annual, biennial, or perennial herbs that typically grow in a tall, erect, unbranched form. The stems and leaves are usually covered in distinctive star-shaped (stellate) hairs. Leaf blades are often lobed or toothed and are carried on long petioles. The showy flowers are borne singly or arranged in fascicles or elongated racemes; each flower has notched petals generally more than three centimetres across, appearing in shades of pink, white, purple, or yellow. The fruit is a schizocarp — a dry, disc-shaped structure that splits into more than fifteen sections, each containing a seed.
The genus has been cultivated as an ornamental garden plant for centuries. Hollyhocks are easily raised from seed and are a familiar feature of cottage and formal gardens alike. Numerous cultivars have been developed, principally from Alcea rosea, including the double-flowered 'Chater's Double', the raspberry-toned 'Creme de Cassis', and the near-black-maroon 'The Watchman'. Red-flowered forms are known to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Beyond ornamental use, hollyhock stems have traditionally been used as firewood, and the roots have a history of medicinal application.
Etymology
The genus name Alcea is the classical Latin form derived from the ancient Greek alkaia or alkea, used by Dioscorides for a mallow-like plant; the name is related to the Greek word for strength (alke), possibly referring to the plant's medicinal properties.
Distribution
Alcea species are native to a broad arc spanning western and central Asia (including the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, and Central Asia) through southeastern Europe. The genus is absent from the Americas, where the superficially similar streambank wild hollyhock belongs to a distinct genus.
Cultivation
Hollyhocks are among the most widely grown cottage-garden perennials and biennials. They are easily started from seed sown directly in the ground or in pots, and often self-seed freely once established. Most species prefer full sun and well-drained soil; they tolerate poor soils but resent waterlogging. Tall cultivars may require staking. Rust (Puccinia malvacearum) is a common fungal disease. Many cultivars have been selected from Alcea rosea, including double-flowered and unusually coloured forms.
Cultural Uses
Hollyhock stems have been used as a source of firewood in regions where woody fuel is scarce. The roots have a long history of medicinal use in traditional herbalism, and the flowers have been used as a food colourant and in herbal teas in parts of Asia and the Middle East.
