This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.

• Position: full sun
• Soil: moderately-fertile, well-drained
• Rate of growth: fast
• Flowering period: June to August
• Hardiness: fully hardy biennial (or short-lived perennial)
  
  Rounded buds open from the base of the sturdy, upright flowerspike to many-petalled white flowers, which have a slightly ruffled appearance. This hollyhock offers height and summer-long colour, and will help add structure in mixed planting schemes. Usually short-lived, it will self-seed in the right conditions, however the resulting seedlings may differ to the parent.
  
  Please note: Rust is a very common problem on hollyhocks, and unless the plants have been sprayed intensively with fungicides, it is rare to see one that will not have been affected. We keep beehives here on our nursery, so we try to keep the use of chemicals to a minimum - and in our experience, while hollyhock rust may look a little unsightly towards the end of summer, it rarely has an impact on the plants’ impressive performance.
  
  
• Garden care: Water well during dry spells. All hollyhocks are prone to rust and organic control may be obtained by a weekly spray at the beginning of the growing season with neem oil, sulphur, or copper. The undersides of the leaves must be treated. In autumn cut the plants back to 15cm (6in) from the ground.