Malva alcea ‘Fastigiata’
upright hollyhock mallow
malvaceaePink hollyhocklike flowers; palmate deep
green leaves
2–3 ft. high; 1 1/2 ft. wide
Full sun–part shade
Blooms June–October
Zones 4–8
pruning Deadheading plants can
prolong bloom into mid-October. The
brown capsules that develop after
flowering detract from the plant
anyway and are best removed. Dead-
head to a lateral leaf after the entire
cluster of flowers is finished blooming.
The lateral leaves are the site of new
bud formation. Deadheading prevents
plants from reseeding to weedy
proportions, but allowing a few
capsules to mature and drop seed will
ensure permanence of hollyhock
mallow in the garden, as individual
plants are often short-lived. Another
approach that may be taken to try to
prolong the life of the individual plant
is to prevent seed set completely with
deadheading, then cut down to fresh
basal growth if the old flowering stems
start to decline. Plants should also be
cut down to basal foliage if they topple
in late summer, or if the foliage is
badly damaged by Japanese beetles or
foliar diseases.
Plants respond well to pinching or
cutting back to produce fuller plants.
Pinching plants in early May can
produce shorter but wider mounded
plants. They will spread out a bit,
reaching about 3 ft. in width and 1 1/2 ft.
in height. Pinching new plants at
planting in the spring is advisable if
shorter, wider plants is the desired
result. If stems look weak, or if they
open up, plants may benefit from an
additional pinching or cutting back of
the tips in early summer to get into
form. Plants pinched in early May and
then cut back by about 6 in. in
mid-June were 2 ft. rather than 3 ft.
wide and were sturdier than plants
pinched only once in May. The species
form of hollyhock mallow (Malvaalcea) also benefits from such
treatment.
If plants flower into the autumn,
cut back to low basal foliage after
several frosts to reduce seeding over
the winter.
other maintenance Short-lived,
high-maintenance plants.
Well-draining soil is necessary to
ensure survival. Drought tolerant.
Prefers alkaline pH, although adapt-
able. May require staking, particularly
if given part shade or if not pinched to
control height. Requires frequentMalva alcea ‘Fastigiata’