Bursting forth with a profusion of delicate, hollyhock-inspired blooms, this botanical beauty lights up the summer garden with its soft, pastel palette.
× Alcalthaea suffrutescens 'Parkfrieden' is a stately perennial boasting an upright, clump-forming habit, its stout stems reaching up to 1.5m (5ft) and adorned with lobed, downy grey-green leaves. From midsummer through early autumn, this rust-resistant marvel puts on a dazzling display, its erect terminal racemes laden with open, cup-shaped flowers in the most alluring shades of pale pink and soft apricot, each bloom sporting a delicate, double centre.
A true showstopper whether grown in borders, beds, or containers, 'Parkfrieden' brings a graceful, old-world charm to the landscape, its miniature 'hollyhock' blossoms complementing a wide range of companion plantings and providing a long-lasting cut flower for indoor enjoyment.
How to care for Alcalthaea suffrutescens Parkfrieden:
Plant in full sun in well-drained, humus-rich soil; improve heavy or clay soil with compost before planting. Add well-rotted compost and mycorrhizal fungi to the planting hole, spacing plants 60–90cm (2-3ft) apart to suit their tall, bushy growth.
Water during dry spells and mulch thickly to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Provide strong support as tall stems may need staking. Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering. In autumn, cut stems back to 50–60cm (1.5-2ft), then prune harder in spring as growth resumes to encourage a compact habit.
Apply winter mulch around the crown for protection and avoid ground conditions prone to waterlogging in cold, wet conditions.