Home › Contents › Of the Garden Mallow Called Hollyhocke

Of the Garden Mallow Called Hollyhocke

The Description. 1 THe tame or garden Mallow bringeth forth broad round leaves of a whitish greene colour, rough, and greater than those of the wilde Mallow: the stalke is streight, of the height of foure or six cubits; whereon do grow upon slender foot-stalks single floures, not much unlike to the wilde Mallow, but greater, consisting only of five leaves, sometimes white or red, now and then of a deep purple colour, varying diversly as Nature list to play with it: in their places groweth up a round knop like a little cake, compact or made up of a multitude of flat seeds like little cheeses. The root is long, white, tough, easily bowed, and groweth deep in the ground. 3 The double Hollihocke with purple floures hath great broad leaves, confusedly indented about the edges, and likewise toothed like a saw. The stalke groweth to the height of foure or five cubits. The floures are double, and of a bright purple colour.

The Place.

These Hollihockes are sowne in gardens, almost every where, and are in vaine sought elsewhere.

The Time.

The second yeere after they are sowne they bring forth their floures in July and August, when the seed is ripe the stalke withereth, the root remaineth and sendeth forth new stalkes, leaves and floures, many yeares after. The Names.

The Hollihocke is called of divers, Rosa ultra-marina, or outlandish Rose. The Vertues.

The roots, leaves, and seeds serve for all those things for which the wilde Mallowes doe, which are more commonly and familiarly used.