HOLLYHOCK

(Althaea rosea), herbaceous plant of the mallow family (Malvaceae), native to China but widely cultivated for its handsome flowers. The several varieties include annual, biennial, and perennial forms. The stalk grows about 1.52.7 m (59 feet) tall. The leaves have five to seven lobes. Commonly white, pink, red, or yellow, the flowers are 7.5 cm (3 inches) or more across and are borne along the upper portion of the stalk.