Add some ‘Pollinator Friendly’ flowers to your yard. These varieties are easy to care for, has splendid color, & bees LOVE them. They put a smile on your face.
Hollyhocks are typically biennial plants, meaning they spend the first year growing foliage and storing energy, & bloom in their second year. They can grow 5 to 8 feet tall, producing large, showy flowers. I encourage you to let the seed pods stay all fall and winter. Critters will eat the seeds and some will fall to the ground and surprise you the next season with even MORE Hollyhocks!
I was attracted to Alcea rosea L. ‘Nigra,’ or black hollyhock because of the deep purple color that looks almost black. A very striking flower in your garden. These gorgeous plants bloom all summer long. They start blooming at the bottom of the stalk and work their way up.
Best to grow hollyhocks in full sun. Ensure that they need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. Hollyhocks (like any plant) needs watering when the weather is dry. Mine love mulch, straw, leaves, or a short cover crop to help keep the soil moist. Also…give them room! Space 16-24” apart.
In the late fall or early spring sow your seeds in the ground and patiently wait…they will give you joy!
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is a perennial member of the mint family.
This clump-forming perennial is native to the Midwest, blooms abundantly from mid to late summer through early fall-attracting bees, butterflies, & hummingbirds. Their extended bloom period makes them good for cut flowers.
This hearty perennial grows 2-4 feet tall with blue lavendar-to-purple spikes and leaves that smell like licorice. This plant prefers full sun with well draining soil. Spread the seeds early in the spring (or really late fall) and cover with mulch, leaves or straw. Once summer hits you will watch this plant grow. I encourage you to leave the dried up flower spikes-the seed pods will be good for critters all winter long. PLUS! It will reseed itself and your patch will grow..and grow!
Seed Packets:
Hollyhocks: 25 seeds each package
Anise Hyssop: approx 50 tiny seeds
Spread the LOVE for the pollinators and share your seeds.
