Plant Details

Alcea rosea

Hollyhock

Back

Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Alcea rosea.

Use this plant

Log in to add this plant to your recipes.

Log in

Common names

47 names · 31 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (30)
Dutch
French
  • Passe-rose[2]
  • Passerose[2]
  • Rose trémière[2]
Arabic
  • خطمية وردية[2]
Armenian
  • Տուղտավարդ վարդագույն[2]
Belarusian
  • Шток-ружа ружовая, ці Мальва[2]
Catalan
  • Malva reial[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Vrtni sljez[2]
Czech
  • topolovka růžová[2]
Danish
  • Have-stokrose[2]
Estonian
  • aed-tokkroos[2]
  • harilik tokkroos[2]
Finnish
  • tarhasalkoruusu[2]
German
  • Garten-Stockrose[1]
  • Gewöhnliche Stockrose[2]
Greek
  • Δενδρομολόχα[2]
Hebrew
  • חטמית תרבותית[2]
Hungarian
  • Kerti mályvarózsa[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • タチアオイ[2]
  • 立葵[2]
Korean
Lithuanian
  • Aukštoji piliarožė[2]
Norwegian
  • praktstokkrose[2]
Polish
  • Malwa różowa[2]
Russian
  • Штокроза обыкнове́нная[2]
  • Штокроза розовая[2]
Serbian
  • Baštenski slez[2]
  • Баштенски слез[2]
Slovak
  • topoľovka ružová[2]
Spanish
  • Malva loca[2]
  • Malva Real Asiática[2]
  • Malvarrosa[2]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Miramelindo asiática[2]
  • Varita de San José[2]
Swedish
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Рожа рожева[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Alcea rosea L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Garten-Stockrose (DE); Hollyhock (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 164283; taxon BH8Y.
[2] Alcea rosea — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Hollyhock — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Miramelindo asiática — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Holly Hock — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Gewöhnliche Stockrose — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • 접시꽃 — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Rose trémière — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Passe-rose — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Passerose — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Штокроза розовая — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Штокроза обыкнове́нная — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • topolovka růžová — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • タチアオイ — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • 立葵 — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Have-stokrose — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Stokroos — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Malvarrosa — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Vrtni sljez — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • harilik tokkroos — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • aed-tokkroos — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Malva Real Asiática — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • 蜀葵 — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • praktstokkrose — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • tarhasalkoruusu — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Malwa różowa — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Malva reial — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Δενδρομολόχα — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • خطمية وردية — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • stockros — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Malvarosa — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Aukštoji piliarožė — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Gülhatmi — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • 蜀葵 — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Malva loca — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Баштенски слез — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Baštenski slez — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Шток-ружа ружовая, ці Мальва — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Рожа рожева — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Տուղտավարդ վարդագույն — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Kerti mályvarózsa — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Black Hollyhock — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • 一丈红 — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • 光光花 — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Pembe Hatmi — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • חטמית תרבותית — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • topoľovka ružová — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.
  • Varita de San José — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 62205; Alcea rosea.

General information

Scientific name: Alcea rosea
Accepted name (Kew): Alcea rosea L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Malvaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Alcea (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Hollyhock
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 1.52–2.44 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 0.3–0.61 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Growth habit: Erect

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Biennial, Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Flowers, Tea, Root, Shoots
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Dye, Oil

Description

Young leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked, but their texture is not very appealing. They are often used as herbs, although they have only a mild flavor. These leaves can be finely chopped to be added to salads. The inner part of young stems can be eaten raw, and the petals and buds can also be added raw to salads. The root provides nutritious starch, and a refreshing tea can be made from the petals.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/07
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 693975; name ID 2627619; Alcea L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 694277; name ID 2627710; Alcea rosea L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Alcea rosea

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 4292095, ID BH8Y: Alcea rosea L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Alcea rosea — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .