These colorful relatives of the hollyhock, bear enormous red, white or pink flowers 6 to 12 inches in diameter from midsummer until frost. Garden varieties may grow up to 8 feet tall is soil that stays very moist all summer. Southern Belle and Avalon Hybrids are recommended strains that can be grown from seeds. More colorful must be purchased as plants. Place them in the back of the border or in groups by themselves

How to grow
Rose mallows grow in Zones 4-9. They do best in full sun but will tolerate light shade. Soil should be moist and well-composted. Space plants about 3 feet apart. When setting out plants place the crowns, or tops of the root structures, 3 to 4 inches beneath the soil. To start new plants from seeds, sow early in spring; the new plants will produce only a few flowers the first year, but will come into full bloom in subsequent years. Because the rose mallow clumps do not spread underground, the plants can be allowed to remain undisturbed indefinitely.