Hollyhock (Alcea) Fig Leaf – 2 litre pot

This plant is RARE!  The Fig Leaf hollyhock or Antwerp type is the original perennial hollyhock and is completely stunning, as you can see the flowers are deepest purple with an almost black throat, the difference is in the leaf which is exactly like a Fig Tree leaf, so very different from normal hollyhock.

The fig leaf type is well known for being resistant to Hollyhock rust, giving these lovely plants extra value. They will self seed where happy making gorgeous, ‘Cottage Garden’ drifts.  We are so proud to stock this beautiful plant.

We ONLY grow single flowered hollyhock as opposed to the double type as the doubles are sterile and provide no food for our beloved pollinators.  Our girls grow to around 5-6 feet tall and provide a wonderful cottage feel to any border – If you need to keep them in a pot you may need to offer a supporting cane as they may not have enough room to anchor their roots. Please don’t tidy them away too quickly so that they can self seed for you – blown by the wind into other areas of the garden, or indeed your neighbours gardens, free from pesticides as a gift from nature.

Hollyhocks are easy to grow from seed in spring. Prepare a seed tray with peat-free seed compost and water well, allowing the water to drain. The seeds are large enough to space evenly on the compost surface. Place them about 1.5cm apart from the next. Sieve seed compost over the seeds. Ideally place the tray in a propagator set at about 15-20°C, they need warmth & light to germinate.

In about 2 weeks you should see signs of germination. It can take a further five weeks before plants are ready to prick out. The plants should be ready to plant out in June but won’t flower until the following year.