Alcea 'Nigra'

Plant Alcea 'Nigra' in your garden and look forward to dramatic results. Reaching up to 2.5m tall once established, this impressive plant, commonly known as black hollyhock, towers over the garden with imposing stature. With a narrow habit, you don’t need to have a large space to enjoy these almighty flower stems, Alcea rosea 'Nigra' will happily nestle in among other plants or into narrow spaces in the cosiest of cottage gardens or small urban suntraps. Near-black, saucer-shaped flowers climb the vertical stems, opening gradually to reveal shimmering, lustrous petals which are as fine as tissue.

Flowering from early summer to autumn, Alcea 'Nigra' is a truly captivating perennial which brings a certain grandeur to the back of borders. Although quintessentially ‘cottage garden’ in style, this dark-flowered hollyhock is just as good in contemporary planting schemes. Wildlife friendly gardeners will be pleased to know that this is a favourite with pollinators too. Black hollyhocks are short-lived perennials, so allow the seed pods to ripen and scatter the seeds around—they naturalise beautifully and easily. Plant Alcea rosea 'Nigra' in a sunny spot with shelter from strong winds.