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How to Grow and Care for Hollyhock Mallow Plants

Malva alcea

This plant grows best with full sun for most of the dayThis plant requires shade during the heat of the dayOnce established this plant requires little or no supplemental wateringThis plant will tolerate some drought, but benefits from periodic wateringHummingbird PlantButterfly FlowerBird Plant or FlowerWhite flowering plantPink flowering plantA photograph of Mallow flowersHow to Use the Plant Care Icons at The Garden Helper
Hollyhock Mallow plants are multi-stemmed, upright perennials that grow 2-4 feet tall, forming 2 foot clumps.
From mid summer until fall, they produce spikes of 2" rose-pink or white flowers that resemble Hollyhocks.
Ernie the Garden Gnome The lower leaves are larger and kidney or heart shaped, with a soft, velvety texture.
Foliage higher on the plant becomes progressively smaller and is more deeply cut and lacy.

Growing Requirements for Hollyhock Mallow Plants

Hollyhock Mallow are reliable, easy to care for plants that are hardy in USDA zones 4-8.
For best results, plant them 12"-24" apart in an area where they will receive full sun,
but they will tolerate partial shade, especially in hotter regions.
They aren't overly fussy about the soil, as long as it is well-drained.
Pinch back the tips of new growth when it reaches 12 inches tall to produce a more compact plant.
Provide protection from strong winds, or provide a stake for taller varieties.
Once they are established, Mallow plants tolerate some drought,
but they are happier when they are watered regularly.
Feed monthly when actively growing, with a good, all-purpose fertilizer.

Remove spent flower spikes promptly to encourage additional blooms,
or wait and cut the entire plant back by a third after the initial flush
of blooms has finished, to allow for some self-seeding.
When your Mallow plants begin to decline in late fall,
cut them all the way back to their basal foliage.

Propagating Mallow Plants and Growing them from Seed

Mallow plants can be propagated by tip cuttings
taken in the spring or early summer.

Mallow seeds can be planted directly in the garden beginning in the spring,
up until two months before the first killing frost.
If you are starting your seeds indoors, maintain a temperature in the
growing medium of 70° until germination, which takes only 5-10 days.

Hollyhock Mallow
Malva alcea 'Fastigiata'
Pink Hollyhock Mallow Flowers Hollyhock Mallow Plant Blooming in the Garden, Malva alcea


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