The flowers open a violet-brown so deep that they read as black, carried up spires of 4 to 8 feet. Black hollyhock (Alcea rosea nigra) is grown for exactly that contrast, and is at its best against a white wall. Give it full sun and sandy soil, and it will reseed itself.
Black hollyhock at a glance
Name
Alcea rosea nigra
Family
Malvaceae
Type
perennial
Height
4 to 8 feet (120 to 250 cm)
Exposure
full sun
Soil
sandy
Flowering
early summer to early autumn
It has the scientific name Alcea rosea nigra and bears black-colored flowers, even though the true color is closer to violet-brown than true black.
This hollyhock isn’t the tallest, but its blooming is beautiful and abundant.
It is a plant that reseeds itself on its own, but sometimes its offspring have slightly different colors from the original brown black, nothing to worry about.
Black hollyhock is amazing when planted with a white wall as backdrop, its color marks a strong contrast that makes it stand out.
Planting and caring for black hollyhock
Not the tallest hollyhock, but abundantly flowered
There are sub-varieties that have simple flowers and others that have double flowers, and both types do best in sandy soil.
Caring for and growing black hollyhock is identical to that of all the Alcea rosea.
When your black hollyhock have finished blooming, collect only those seeds coming from the darkest plants and flowers. That way you’ll be deepening the hue with every following generation!
Image credits (edits Gaspard Lorthiois):
CC BY-NC 2.0: Scott Davies
Written by Gaspard Lorthiois | Loves helping out, especially when it comes to growing things. Worked in herbal medicine, runs a farm, and dabbles in tech. Master's degree and engineer.
