Which Hollyhock Varieties Are Truly Annual?

Annual Varieties

• When selecting hollyhock varieties, look for newer varieties labeled as annuals. Try Indian Summer or Indian Spring for pink flowers the first year after planting. Marjorette produces double blooms with lacy edges in a multitude of colors. The plants stand 2 to 3 feet high, making them a good choice for small gardens.

Old-Fashioned Varieties

• Plant old-fashioned cultivars, such as Black Hollyhock or Pioneer Mix, in late summer to early fall. Although they are technically biennials, they'll bloom the following summer to resemble annual types.

Growing Conditions

• Like all hollyhocks, annual varieties thrive in full sun and well-drained rich soil. Space them so that air circulates freely to minimize disease problems. Rust disease is the most common disease hollyhocks experience and produces small yellow and red spots on the leaves. Remove infected leaves in the spring and after the flowers have bloomed. Cut severely infected plants to ground level in late summer.

Considerations

• Although annual hollyhocks die after one season, they produce and drop seed that may grow the following year. In fact, annual hollyhocks may behave more like perennials because they come back year after year through self-seeding. Remove any that grow in unwanted places.