How many times does hollyhocks come back?

[4390evans]

I planted a hollyhock last year and it flowered fab, wrong colour but flowered all the same. I left the stem on as it had quite a few ladybugs on it.
Ive cut the stem off but I left the ground foilage as it is still green and healthy.
Will I get another flower on it this year or should I pull it out?

I understand they are biannuals soI only expected the two years out of it, or am I mistaken?

[Mark_Riga]

I don't grow them myself but RHS says it
" is a robust biennial or short-lived perennial to 2m or more"
so, they should be good for at least another year. They are likely to self-seed, if so these may need moving. You may need to watch out for slugs at this time of year as they can graze newly emerging shoots to death.

[Bigmallly]

Biennials grow leaf in the first year but no flowers, it then flowers in the 2nd year sets seed then dies back. So for a constant show it should take 2 years then you will get leaf growth from year 1 plants & flowers every year from year 2 plants.

[roitelet]

I would say short lived perennial, mine go on for three or four years before they give up the ghost.

[Gillykat]

I sowed some seed in September last year and they soon germinated and overwintered in the polytunnel. They're now lovely healthy plants which I'll be planting out in their pertmanent spot soon so it'll be interesting to see if I get any flowers this year. Personally I don't think I will but if I do it'll be a bonus I recently sowed more seeds and they have all germinated so that should be 2017's flowers sorted

[Florence Fennel]

I've sown some for the first time. I have fond memories of them growing every year in my Granny's garden so I was expecting them to be perennial. They were from the kindly Veggie Chicky who knows the name of my eldest Golden Girl - another reason I want to grow them

[Alison]

They were from the kindly Veggie Chicky who knows the name of my eldest Golden Girl - another reason I want to grow them

I know I should know by now but every time I read you using the Golden Girl comment I initially think you mean an old lady as in that dodgy old sitcom as that's the only way I've heard the phrase previously. Makes it read very strangely at times .

[4390evans]

hollyhocks, how many times do they come back?

I had a flower off my hollyhock last year so it must of been in its second year, Ive just left it as its in a area I haven't worked in a while, this year its romping away and its about 3 foot now, no flower as of yet and I'm not really expecting one but it looks like its putting out a lot of growth and surely this cant be for nothing?

[Containergardener]

I can't remember as I don't have any now but same family I grew Malva from seed last yr which is supposed to be an annual, it's been outside all winter and is reflowering.

[Martin H]

If it's putting on height it will flower this year. Be patient!

I think of hollyhocks as short-lived perennials. In my clay soil they tend to give up after the third year; they might last a bit longer in lighter soil.

If you've got a particularly special one, you can apparently propogate from root cuttings. I've never tried it though, I just dig up self-seeded plants to replace old ones.

[Jonny.D]

The one we had in the back garden had been there for 7 years, coming back strong every year, had to dig it up though.

Ones in the front garden are in their 3rd year & all doing well, despite an abundance of rust on the leaves