Sabrina Hollyhock

[Sandbar]

Spent some time at an Amish farm this past weekend. Spoke a long time with one of the ladies once I discovered she utilizes companion planting. One of her favorite companion plants is "Sabrina Hollyhock."

She plants it around cabbage and other plants that suffer attacks from leaf-eating worms and caterpillars. The leaf-eaters prefer the hollyhock over the veggies and get stripped.

Does anyone know where to get seed for that variety? A quick search on Google didn't turn up much.

She also uses a ton of marigold to protect beans, maters and other veggies.

[bluelacedredhead]

Did you think to ask the Amish woman where she gets her seed from? I'm wondering if this is not an heirloom variety but instead, just a variety she is fond of?
Stokes Seeds has a variety of Hollyhock named Zebrina. It's described as a white single bloom with purple stripes. Could that be it??
http://www.stokes.com

[Sandbar]

I think she saves her own seed. The family was a friend of my brother's and we just went with him to visit and let the kids see all the goings-on at the farm (pigs, horses, ducks, cows, etc.), take a ride in a horse drawn wagon, enjoy some fresh apple crisp with ice cream ... num-num

I have her father's address (three generations on the family farm), so I may try to get a few from her. They are very generous folk. Sent me home with some OP Indian corn (specific variety unknown) and some raw peanuts that they grew this summer (will try planting those next year).

The link you gave me sent me to a heating contractor. I went here:

http://www.stokeseeds.com

... and found the Zebrina. Looks like the same flower, however I don't remember it having such a dark center ... I was thinking the center was much paler. Wonder if it is a hybrid and as she saved seed from the previous year that it reverted to one of the parents.

Thanks for your help! I think I'm heading in the right direction!

[sunmad strawgirl]

This sounds very much like a hollyhock that I grow. They're not the tall, awe-inspiring hollyhocks, but shorter spikes with many pretty smaller flowers. I got some seeds from a friend of mine last year and grew 4 or 5 plants of it then. It reseeded itself and I had many more this year - and they were quite easy to transplant. They are very pretty and breed true - though I am not sure of their heirloom pedigree. I haven't noticed that leave eaters prefer them but I haven't planted them very close to the veggies. I have some that I let go to seed if anyone would like some. I haven't gathered yet but should pretty soon. . . . . . .

Here's a picture of mine . . .
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/kkoldewyn/hollyhock_05.jpg

[Sandbar]

I would love to have some, if you can spare any. (Great pic!)

The ones growing in the garden that I saw were about 36" tall. How tall are yours?

[sunmad strawgirl]

36 inches sounds about right. Some of the little volunteers that got started late (some were still coming up in late July) stayed quite small (10 inches) and bloomed at that heigth but the re-seeds that started early got quite large. If you cut them back after their first bloom, they'll give you a very nice second or even third re-bloom (usually less tall and bushier). PM me your address and I'll send you some as soon as I collect.

[Joan]

I've got gobs of short gold marigolds I use for edging if you need some seed for those.Let me know.

[bluelacedredhead]

Sandbar, Sorry for the misprint, but at least you figured out where I was trying to send you to find the Zebrina. I should know better than to try to chat on Instant Messenger, talk to my husband who had just arrived home from work, read seed catalogues and second guess website URL's all at the same time..especially at 1 am in the morning :p

I would say Yes, ask these lovely people for a few seeds if you have the opportunity! If they were gracious enough to show you around their farm and share vegetable seeds with you then I'm sure that they would be willing to part with a few. Who knows? Maybe they aren't exactly the same as what Sunmad has?? Then there could be another hollyhock swap in the future :D

.

[Sandbar]

Joan, thanks for the offer on the marigolds, but I'm good on those, I think ... hmm, maybe I better check ...

BlueLace, no problem on the typo ... you guessed exactly what I would have guessed ... :)

I'll send a letter to the Amish gal and see if she'd mind parting with some seed.

Everyone, thanks for your help!

[dandelion meadow]

This is my first year growing Zebrina and I got seed from Sandhill Preservation Center in Iowa. It is a lovely plant and has bloomed all summer with blossoms still.

[flowerpower]

Send the Amish girl an SASE. It would be appreciated. Do you have Lemon Balm? I'll check and see if I have seeds. Else I will have a ton of volunteers in the spring.

[Sandbar]

FP, I'll do that. And, no, I don't have any lemon balm. If you have spares, I would love to have some.

[Sandbar]

I've got gobs of short gold marigolds I use for edging if you need some seed for those.Let me know.Hi Joan,
I thought I was good on marigolds ... wrong-o ... soooo, was wondering if your offer was still open and I could send you an SASE.

[johno]

Sandbar, I've lost track of the varieties, but I saved marigold seeds if you need some.

[Sandbar]

Hi Johno, I would love some. Am planning on planting a substantial number of them throughout my four gardens (three large and one small) this summer. Am hopeful it will help with some pest problems.

I think I have your address from when you sent me the Black Hungarian seeds. Shall I put a SASE in the mail to you?

[johno]

Just pm me your address again, if you would.

[Sandbar]

Thanks, Johno! PM is on it's way.

[Joan]

I remember one thing about this plant it spreads pretty fast and is hard to get rid of when you try. After 4 years of pulling it out it is still springing up in my mothers flowerbed

[Sandbar]

Hi Joan, thanks for the heads up. Maybe I'll just try it on a very limited basis and see how it goes? You are talking about the hollyhock, right?

[sunmad strawgirl]

It is definitely good at reseeding itself. Hasn't been too difficult to control in my flower bed - but it does spring up in unexpected places sometimes.

[Joan]

Sandbar - hi -
Was talking about the hollyhock, I'd never plant it again. If you have a controlled area, try that. As for the marigold, be glad for johno because I have no more marigold.

[Sandbar]

Hi Joan, thanks for the update. I'll have to watch the hollyhock. Did it over-winter and spread via roots or was your problem with it being a prolific self-seeder?

[sunmad strawgirl]

It can overwinter (at least here) but I'm pretty sure it's main propogation mthod is self-seeding. And yes, prolific probably describes it pretty well. They are easy to recognize and pull, however, and mulching seems to discourage them a lot more easily than, say, most grasses.

[Sandbar]

The Amish gal, whom I visited with my family last fall, sent me some Zebrina Hollyhock seed. So, I have some (not a lot) to share.

PM me your address if you're interested.

[strong eagle]

I have multiple crosses between the differant "Malvas"[ member of the Hollyhock family] Zebrina crossed with Merlin crossed with whatever else color I had until now I really don't know what colors the seedlings coming up[ and there are a LOT of them] are. The plants winter over here just fine, and actually keep blooming up until a real hard freeze. They particularly like the edge around the compost pile, get so large I cut them back around August, for more growth and rebloom. strong

[kkinAL]

Do you all start your hollyhock seed early in pots or do they have to be direct sown? I've read different opinions about this--I'm trying them for the first time this year. ( if started in pots , how many weeks before last frost?) thanks!

[Sandbar]

I've never grown Hollyhocks before. I don't know how early to start them ... only thing I've found so far says 16 weeks to "finish", meaning a "ready to sell" plant.

[trudyjean]

I just sowed some HH last week and their up already, as soon as they get two true leaves I'll pot them up. I've been told or read somewhere that if u sow them directly in the ground they are perennials, but if they are started out in pots then planted they are not as hardy. I don't know what to believe on that, any feedback from someone who knows? I may try both ways just for a test to see. trudyjean

[strong eagle]

Hollyhocks and "Malvas" [zebrina] are two differant plants, but related. Malvas are short lived perrenials, most "mother" plants live for about 3 yrs, but they seed themselves heavily, and the seedlings bloom the same year. The majority of Hollyhocks grow as seedlings the 1st year, then bloom the 2nd year. An exception being the "Carnival" and double flowered "Queeny" varieties that bloom the 1 st year from seed. I usually start my hollyhocks in the late Summer, allow the seedling to go thru the winter and it will bloom the next Summer. Strong

[emilie]

I read about these in Mrs. Greenthumbs and I had To get it! It is the first flower I bought and I am so excited for it ...LOL. Now you all have me worried-but satisfaction is what I want- something to BLOOM and this sounds like it will!
Pretty too.

[johno]

I got Zebrina seeds from Sandbar, but was worried because the mail-crusher got a hold of them... I did end up with one afterall, though! It's really beautiful, looks like the picture by sunmad strawgirl earlier in this thread. Amongst my favorite flowers, definitely!