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We have been busy packing our favorite flower seeds and gearing up for another amazing year. Stay tuned for back in stock seeds and plants for 2025 plus over 75 new varieties!

Hollyhock - Fig 'Happy Lights'
Seed Packet

Hollyhock - Fig 'Happy Lights'

Alcea ficifolia
The original species Alcea ficifolia or Antwerp Hollyhock, had yellow flowers and rust-resistant large lobed leaves. We offer a natural hybrid of this species with A. rosea in mixed colors, the large saucer-shaped flowers blooming along the tall stems in summer. The epitome of an old-fashioned flower, it looks best in informal settings, grown against old outbuildings and fences in masses—a biennial to short-lived perennial that often self-sows for another summer of bloom.
SKU #S002
$3.25
Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
38
Lifecycle
Biennial
Perennial Hardiness Zone
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10
Mature Size
6-8' h x 2' w
Sun
Full sun
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained
Season
Summer to fall
Color
Mix of red, pink, yellow, peach, and burgundy saucer-shaped flowers.
Features
Great Cut Flower
Heat or Drought Tolerant
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Bees
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface to 1/8". Press in lightly.
Sprout Time:
13-25 days after chill
Starting Indoors:
Sow indoors in pots about 6-8 weeks before planting out. Keep at 35-40°F for 10 days, then at 65-70°F. Provide moist conditions by placing a humidity dome over the containers until germination occurs.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow spring to summer for flowers the following year.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
After last frost.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Fig hollyhock is a disease-resistant cottage garden favorite that blooms in a seemingly never-ending display as the large saucer-shaped flowers open in succession from the bottom up. They provide a strong vertical accent in gardens and look great supported by a picket fence or against a shed. In windy areas, stake the plants and space them well apart to increase air circulation and avoid rust disease. To encourage its perennial tendencies, cut back the plants after blooming, leaving a stalk to ripen seeds. Plant the hollyhock in areas where the soils are fertile and well-drained as it is not tolerant of saturated, wet soils, especially in winter. The plant readily self-sows.
Final Spacing:
2'
Water Requirements:
Medium Water Use
Watering Details:
1" a week. Drought tolerant once established due to its tap-rooted nature.
Soil pH:
Tolerates most pH levels
Fertilizer:
Incorporate a 1" layer of compost annually.
Diseases & Pests:
Avoid fungal rust problems by spacing plants properly and planting them in a location that receives good air flow. If hollyhock rust has ever been a problem spray with organic fungicide preventively throughout the season or plant in a new location. If slugs are troublesome to new seedlings sprinkle some diatomaceous earth or iron phosphate pellets on the ground around the plants.
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Harvest when 1/3 of flowers are open.