Dwarf Hollyhock
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Queeny Purple Hollyhock is an All-American Selections award winner that breaks the mold of traditional hollyhocks with its exceptional first-year flowering. This compact perennial in the Malvaceae family reaches just 18 to 36 inches tall, making it far more manageable than standard varieties while delivering the same dramatic garden presence. Hardy in zones 3 through 8, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and adapts to soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Its prolific purple blooms arrive in just the second year, earning recognition from AAS judges who celebrated its unexpected vigor.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-8
36in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
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Queeny Purple stands out as a dwarf hollyhock engineered for impact without the sprawl. Most hollyhocks demand 5 to 6 feet of vertical space and patience through their first season, but this cultivar flowers densely in its second year and maxes out at a tidy 36 inches. The vibrant purple flowers appear abundantly on a plant sized for contemporary gardens, porches, and patios where traditional hollyhocks would overwhelm the space. This is a floral shop favorite, prized for its garden-ready proportions and that electric color that stops visitors in their tracks.
Queeny Purple hollyhock is grown as a garden ornamental, valued for its densely packed purple flowers that bring vertical interest and old-fashioned charm to flower borders, cottage gardens, porch plantings, and patio containers. The compact height makes it suitable for massed plantings where taller hollyhocks would create awkward gaps and bare stems.
Start seeds indoors at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit about 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. Keep the soil consistently moist and provide bright light once seedlings emerge. Expect a two-year cycle to maturity with flowering in the second year.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed. Space plants 24 inches apart and water well to establish.
Direct sow seeds in fall or spring where they are to grow. Scatter seeds on prepared soil and press firmly into contact with the earth; light improves germination. Thin seedlings to 24-inch spacing once established.
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continued blooming throughout the season. Remove the entire flower stem once flowering is complete. In late fall or early spring, cut back any dead or damaged growth to ground level to promote fresh growth.
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“Queeny Purple was developed as a new twist on the classic hollyhock, which has anchored gardens for centuries. Recognizing that modern gardeners often lack the space for 6-foot giants, breeders created a dwarf hollyhock that retained the charm of its ancestors while respecting contemporary landscape proportions. The variety earned All-American Selections Flower recognition, placing it among the most rigorously tested new ornamentals in North America. This award validated what gardeners quickly discovered: you could have true hollyhock character without sacrificing practicality.”