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Hollyhock
Habit (mature) · Stephan Czuratis (Jazz-face) / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5
Limited coverage
Hollyhock
Alcea rosea
The towering cottage-garden classic — rigid flower spires rise 5-8 feet, clothed top to bottom in showy funnel-shaped blooms of white, pink, and red from June to August. A short-lived perennial usually grown as a biennial or self-seeding "annual," it reads as architecture against a wall or fence and draws hummingbirds and butterflies. Of garden origin, not native to North America, and notoriously prone to rust, which is its defining maintenance demand.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (69/100)
Structure
Focal point
Pollinator
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
60-96" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
2a-10b
brutally cold to mild winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Hot
cool to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Painted lady — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Hollyhock (Alcea rosea). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/hollyhock
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 2.5
Backs 1 field
Image
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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