Introducing Summer Carnival Hollyhock Mix

Summer Carnival Hollyhock Mix is a spectacular variety that lives up to its festive name. This vibrant selection produces an explosion of color with fully double flowers that resemble pompoms or dahlias, creating a truly eye-catching display in any garden. The mix includes rich jewel tones and bright pastels, offering a dynamic palette that celebrates the abundance of summer.

What sets Summer Carnival apart is the exceptional fullness of its blooms. The densely petaled flowers create a luxurious, almost theatrical appearance that makes them stand out among traditional hollyhock varieties. These flowers are perfect for creating dramatic focal points in garden beds or for cutting and bringing indoors to enjoy their beauty up close.

Planting and Growing Summer Carnival

Like other hollyhocks, Summer Carnival is a biennial or short-lived perennial, though it's bred to perform well and often produces flowers in its first year. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, or direct sow outdoors in late summer for flowering the following season.

Hollyhock seeds require light to germinate, so scatter them on the soil surface and press gently without burying them. Choose a location with full sun and well-draining soil. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart to ensure good air circulation around the foliage, which helps prevent fungal issues.

Summer Carnival plants can reach 5 to 7 feet tall, so plan for staking or support structures, especially in areas prone to wind. Regular watering during dry periods keeps plants healthy and promotes continuous blooming throughout the summer months.

Enjoying Your Summer Carnival Display

Deadhead spent flowers regularly to extend the blooming season and encourage more flowers to develop. The plants may self-seed, giving you volunteer seedlings the following year if you allow some flowers to mature and drop their seeds.

Summer Carnival Hollyhock Mix transforms gardens into vibrant celebrations of color and texture, making it an ideal choice for cottage gardens, cutting gardens, or any space where you want to make a bold, beautiful statement.

In Summary

This Summer Carnival Mix (Alcea rosea) produces towering spikes that can grow to 9' tall with saucer-sized blooms in all sorts of different colors.

Heat and cold-tolerant, this biennial blooms its first year. Prefers full sun, but can tolerate part shade, even under a Black Walnut tree. The leaves, buds, and petals are edible.

• Life cycle: Biennial
• Bloom season: Summer, fall
• Attracts: Birds, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
• Flower meaning: Abundance, ambition, femininity, fertility, fruitfulness

SEED PLANTING TIPS

• Botanical name: Alcea rosea
• Hardiness zones: 2-10
• Planting season: Summer, fall
• Days to maturity: 2nd year
• Cold stratify: Yes
• Depth to plant seeds: Lightly cover - seeds need light to germinate
• Depth to plant seeds: Surface sow
• Spacing between plants: 18"-36" apart
• Days to germinate (sprout): 10-21 days
• Germination soil temps: 60F-70F
• Soil types: Sandy, loamy, chalky, rich, moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: 6.0-8.0
• Water needs: Average
• Sun needs: Full sun, part shade
• Frost tolerant: Yes
• Drought tolerant: Yes
• Deer resistant: Yes