Hollyhock - A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Hollyhocks whose current Latin name is Alcea rosea were known in Gerard's time (John Gerard, 1545-1612, author of the definitive horticultural text of the period, The Grete Herball, 1597,) as Malva Hortensis and in Breck's time as Althea rosea. The plant is a biennial native to Turkey and other parts of Asia, but the Hollyhock that was introduced into Britain in 1573, and the plant with which we are familiar, probably came from China by way of Palestine. The name Hollyhock is believed to have derived from the Anglo-Saxon term, 'holy-hoc' or holy mallow - mallow being a common name given to all members of the althea family. The word, althea, comes from the Greek, altheo, meaning, to
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