Hollyhock is grown for its blooms, which open in summer. It's hardy across USDA zones 5 through 9. Its summer flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Hollyhock — the short answer
Hollyhock: grown in zones 5–9, full sun.
- USDA zones
- 5–9
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Which pests actually threaten hollyhock where you grow?
Japanese beetle is only documented in part of the country, so the answer depends on where you plant. Enter your location and we'll tell you which one reaches your land — and the move that beats it.
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What Hollyhock is
Hollyhock reaches around six feet at maturity. It blooms in summer.
How to grow Hollyhock
Hollyhock grows in USDA zones 5 through 9. Hollyhock does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
5-9
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
Data pending
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
6 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
0+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant hollyhock in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun.
Match the soil
Pull a soil test from your local Extension lab to confirm pH and drainage match hollyhock's needs before planting.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut hollyhock blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Where Hollyhock thrives
Hollyhock is hardy across USDA zones 5 through 9. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 5–9 spans average winter lows from -20°F to 30°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 25 outright and splits 25 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 5–9·Where Hollyhock growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Hollyhock stands, state by state
Hollyhock is rated for zones 5–9 — a cold floor USDA puts at -20 to -10°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 25 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 25 more, and 1 sits outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 5–9
25 states
3 of 25 shown
The line runs through
25 states
3 of 25 shown
Hollyhock’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
Outside zones 5–9
1 state
- North Dakota · zones 3b-4b
Winter cold is the limit here — the same plant often works in a container that comes under cover. Each link is that state’s own growing hub.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Hollyhock
Growing guides for hollyhock
In rotation planning, hollyhock counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Related plants in perennial flower
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — hollyhock isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Hollyhock is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)
Your land is one point inside Hollyhock's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Hollyhock will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether hollyhock actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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How we know this about Hollyhock
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Hollyhock in my zone?
Hollyhock grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Hollyhock?
Time hollyhock to your own season rather than the calendar. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Hollyhock need?
Hollyhock needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Hollyhock need?
Specific pH data for hollyhock is pending. It prefers well-drained ground. A soil test from your local Extension lab confirms what your site needs.
Does Hollyhock attract pollinators?
Yes — hollyhock's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)
Is Hollyhock safe for pets?
Hollyhock is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)
Keep exploring Hollyhock
Hollyhock state by state
Every state hollyhock's zone reaches — 3 link straight to that state's hollyhock growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.