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Alcea rosea - L.                
                 
Common Name Hollyhock
Family Malvaceae
Synonyms Althaea rosea.
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Not known in a truly wild situation.
Range The original habitat is obscure, it is probably of hybrid origin. A garden escape in Britain[17].
Edibility Rating  
Medicinal Rating  
Care
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun

Summary       

Physical Characteristics       
 icon of manicon of flower
Alcea rosea is a PERENNIAL growing to 2.4 m (7ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in).
It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jul to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)


Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Alcea rosea Hollyhock


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Koeh-009.jpg
Alcea rosea Hollyhock
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:K!roman
   
Habitats       
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses                                         
Edible Parts: Flowers;  Leaves;  Oil;  Root;  Stem.
Edible Uses: Oil;  Tea.

Young leaves - raw or cooked[2, 55, 177]. A mild flavour, but the texture leaves something to be desired[K]. They have been used as a pot-herb, though they are not particularly palatable[4]. They can also be chopped up finely and added to salads[K]. Inner portion of young stems - raw[101]. Flower petals and flower buds - raw. Added to salads[183]. A nutritious starch is obtained from the root[183]. A refreshing tea is made from the flower petals[183].
Medicinal Uses


Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Antiinflammatory;  Astringent;  Demulcent;  Diuretic;  Emollient;  Febrifuge.

The flowers are demulcent, diuretic and emollient[4, 21]. They are useful in the treatment of chest complaints[4], and a decoction is used to improve blood circulation, for the treatment of constipation, dysmenorrhoea, haemorrhage etc[218]. The flowers are harvested when they are open and are dried for later use[238]. The shoots are used to ease a difficult labour[218]. The root is astringent and demulcent[240]. It is crushed and applied as a poultice to ulcers[218]. Internally, it is used in the treatment of dysentery[240]. The roots and the flowers are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are said to have a sweet, acrid taste and a neutral potency[241]. They are used in the treatment of inflammations of the kidneys/womb, vaginal/seminal discharge, and the roots on their own are used to treat loss of appetite[241]. The seed is demulcent, diuretic and febrifuge[240].
Other Uses
Compost;  Dye;  Litmus;  Oil;  Paper.

A fibre obtained from the stems is used in papermaking[189]. The fibres are about 1.9mm long. The stems are harvested in late summer, the leaves are removed and the stems are steamed until the fibres can be removed. The fibres are cooked with lye for 2 hours and then ball milled for 3 hours or pounded with mallets. The paper is light tan in colour[189]. The flowers are an alternative ingredient of 'Quick Return' herbal compost activator[32]. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K]. The seed contains 12% of a drying oil[114, 240]. The red anthocyanin constituent of the flowers is used as a litmus[114]. A brown dye is obtained from the petals[168].
Cultivation details                                         
Succeeds in most soils[1]. Poor soils should be enriched with organic matter[1, 111]. Prefers a heavy rich soil and a sheltered sunny position[200]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[200]. A very ornamental plant, it is usually grown as a biennial due to its susceptibility to the fungal disease 'rust'[1, 200]. There are many named varieties[238]. Young plants, and also the young growth in spring, are very attractive to slugs[K].
                                                                                 
Propagation                                         
Seed - sow April/May or August/September in pots or in situ[200, 238]. Easily grown from seed, which usually germinates in about 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c[133, 268]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division after flowering. Only use rust-free specimens. Root cuttings in December. Basal cuttings at almost any time of year.
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Expert comment                                         
 
      
Author                                         
L.
                                                                                 
Botanical References                                         
100200
                                                                                 
Links / References                                         

  [K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[32]Bruce. M. E. Commonsense Compost Making.
Excellent little booklet dealing with how to make compost by using herbs to activate the heap. Gives full details of the herbs that are used.
[55]Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds.
Interesting reading.
[101]Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada.
A very readable guide to some wild foods of Canada.
[111]Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials.
A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.
[114]Chakravarty. H. L. The Plant Wealth of Iraq.
It is surprising how many of these plants can be grown in Britain. A very readable book on the useful plants of Iraq.
[133]Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1.
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
[168]Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants.
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[189]Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking.
A good practical section on how to make paper on a small scale plus details of about 75 species (quite a few of them tropical) that can be used.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[218]Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[240]Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
[241]Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants
A nice little pocket guide to the subject with photographs of 95 species and brief comments on their uses.
[268]Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism
Excellent herbal with good concise information on over 400 herbs.

Readers comment                                         
 
Elizabeth H.
Lawler Barnes Sat Jul 22 2006

Nature Abhors a Garden Gardening in New Mexico, focus on why people grow plants

Elizabeth H.
jumpinjivinjoe Sat Aug 23 2008
The flowers are quite delicious. A good addition to any fresh food.
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