Jet Black Hollyhock is a living link to Thomas Jefferson's gardens at Monticello, where this striking heirloom was cultivated in 1629. Its near-black flowers, touched with just a whisper of deep red, create an almost architectural drama in the garden. A true biennial, it thrives in hardiness zones 3-9 and reaches full splendor when planted in full sun with moderate water. This is the kind of plant that stops visitors in their tracks and feels both mysterious and unmistakably historic.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
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Moderate
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The flowers are shockingly beautiful, displaying a near-black color with hints of red that seem to absorb light rather than reflect it. Seeds sprout quickly (10-14 days) and the plants are fully frost-hardy, making them easy to establish. This biennial has graced American historic gardens for nearly 400 years and remains a must-have for anyone seeking garden authenticity and depth of character.
Jet Black Hollyhock is grown as a striking ornamental flower for borders, cottage gardens, and historical plantings. Its dramatic dark coloring makes it particularly valuable in the back of flower beds or as a statement accent near structures like fences or old outbuildings, where its near-black blooms create stunning contrast against lighter backgrounds. This variety especially appeals to gardeners cultivating historically accurate gardens or those seeking authenticity in heritage plantings.
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Start seeds indoors in a warm environment between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, planting them about 1/4 inch deep. Seeds typically sprout within 10-14 days. Start seeds early enough so transplants are ready to move outdoors after the last frost in your area.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after your last frost date, spacing them 12 inches apart. Choose a location with full sun to part sun exposure.
You can direct sow seeds outdoors in fall or early spring, pressing them 1/4 inch into prepared soil where plants will grow.
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“Jet Black Hollyhock traces its pedigree to 1629, when it was first documented. The variety gained particular prominence in American gardening history as part of Thomas Jefferson's celebrated gardens at Monticello, where he cultivated it alongside other treasured plants. This traditional variety has survived centuries not through accident but through gardeners who valued its unusual, nearly black coloration enough to save and replant its seeds generation after generation. Its presence in Monticello transforms it from merely a plant into a living artifact of early American horticulture.”