Hollyhock height

Dirty Harry

Is it typical for these to get really tall? I'd read 8ft as being on the upper end of the scale but this is way past that-



Don't pay too much attention to the gormless looking person in the photo but he's 6ft tall.

Bijdezee

I've seen some very tall ones but I didn't measure them. It looks healthy anyway. I stopped growing them because of rust. 

Dirty Harry

Is it when they're a couple of years old they're more susceptible?

Despite my fuchsia rust issues the hollyhock looks fine.

Dovefromabove

I’ve noticed that hollyhocks growing in cracks between paving and a wall seem to suffer much less from rust than those in beds and borders.

I can only presume that the fallen  rust spores on the paving are washed away by the winter rains whereas those that fall on soil just linger there ready to reinfect the plants in the spring. 

Lyn

You could have a point there dove, or could it be that self seeded ones are stronger. 

Dirty Harry

philippa smith2 said:

Hollyhocks do grow to a good height - 6 or 7 foot is not unusual but I wonder if the OP's plants are being drawn further up with the dense hedge behind.  IME they really enjoy surrounding sun/light.

To be fair that area is technically full sun, perhaps barely now, as the summer gets on, but it's had plenty of sun.

Dirty Harry

Buds have finally started opening but they've taken their time. 

Is it earlier in July you'd expect them to appear usually?

Theveggardener

The first one is what I consider to be the better one's as the are the same thickness all the way down the cain. 10 per pack. https://www.diy.com/departments/verve-canes-set-of-10/3663602423461_BQ.prd?rrec=truehttps: sorry can't get the link to work so you'll have to copy and paist.

This one is from the Range SKU 122490 6 pack and gets thinner from top to bottom.

Hope this is of some help.

Grumpymum

This is mine, I reckon it's at least 9 ft as it's poking through the hawthorn at least 3 ft higher than the fence, which is 6ft ... The fence faces SW so don't think it was trying to find the light!

I actually planted 3 in a row. This one, which is in the middle, became a giant, while the two either side of it only managed to grow to 2-3 ft.

lydiaann

I have cut some of mine down now as they've finished flowering, but they were all tall and I have one that is at least as tall as the one in the photo.  I love them!

Pauline 7

I have had to stake mine up as they all started to fall over.  Should I have planted them deeper?