• Register  |
  • LoginLogin
Close
Login
 
 
Register
 Advanced search
  • Search
  • Register
  • Login
  • JOIN!
  • View unanswered posts
  • View active topics
  • Gardening
Gardening Forum   FLOWER GARDENING & GARDEN DESIGN  Flower Gardening & Garden Design

Can I get an ID on this flower




Post a new topic
Post a reply
14 posts • Page 1 of 1

Can I get an ID on this flower

Sun Jun 21, 2009 4:47 pm

I feel foolish because I should be able to figure this out, I know the pics are bad (they were taken on a camera phone, sorry) They are quite tall, probably 3.5 to 4 foot and the blooms are large as well, hope someone can help as these are just stunning.

Image

Image
ColtsFan
Full Member
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 10 '09
Location: San Pierre, IN
Top

Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:11 pm

Those are hollyhocks (Alcea rosea). :)
User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
 
Posts: 7648
Joined: Jun 24 '08
Location: Oregon
Top

Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:17 pm

Thanks!! I wanted those years ago and forgot what they looked like, now I really feel stupid. They are perennials, right?
ColtsFan
Full Member
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 10 '09
Location: San Pierre, IN
Top

Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:23 pm

If I recall correctly, some types of hollyhocks are biennial, and others are perennial, so be sure to find out when you go to buy them.

You might want to use Google to determine which varieties are perennial, so you'll have an idea of what to look for when you go shopping. :)
User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
 
Posts: 7648
Joined: Jun 24 '08
Location: Oregon
Top

Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:33 pm

Just to confuse the matter, some hollyhocks will reseed year after year. So the individual plant isn't necessarily perennial, but there will be hollyhocks year after year...

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
cynthia_h
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 7501
Joined: May 6 '08
Location: El Cerrito, CA
Top

Sun Jun 21, 2009 11:33 pm

Well many thanks to both of you, I'll check on the biennial and perennial thing at the nursery and it's good to know if I screw up there is still a chance of them returning each year. I love those enormous blooms and the rich deep colors :)
ColtsFan
Full Member
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 10 '09
Location: San Pierre, IN
Top

Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:02 am

"Hollyhock" was the first flower whose name I ever knew as a little girl. We lived in Cheyenne then, and our neighbors--we all lived on base at Warren AFB--just threw seeds in the ground and hoped real hard every Memorial Day.

I think I was in 2nd or 3rd grade before I knew "rose" or "zinnia." But "hollyhock" has been in at the ground level on flower ID for a long time... :D

Cynthia
cynthia_h
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 7501
Joined: May 6 '08
Location: El Cerrito, CA
Top

Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:25 am

When I was a child, my grandmother taught me to pick a hollyhock flower, then catch a firefly and put it inside the blossom. She showed me how to gather the petals together at the top and hold them shut, creating a colorful little lantern. Fond memories of long ago summers. :)
User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
 
Posts: 7648
Joined: Jun 24 '08
Location: Oregon
Top

Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:14 am

Those are great stories, the lost old days of a better simple life. Proving once again that flowers are forever, not diamonds :)
ColtsFan
Full Member
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Jun 10 '09
Location: San Pierre, IN
Top

Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:23 am

Kisal, now I wish I had hollyhocks in my garden! :cool: Just last night, my kids were catching fireflies at my MIL's house. Well, one of the neighbors has some, maybe she'll let us have some flowers....
User avatar
applestar
Mod
 
Posts: 27221
Joined: May 1 '08
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M
Top

Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:16 am

Watched fireflies at MILS house last night myself... :D

But are fireflies in trouble?

And what can we do about that?

My yard is still got some; how about yours?

MIL's hollyhocks volunteered again this year despite no plantings at all this spring; she didn't even save the seed as she usually does, so next year might be blank for flowers... but not likely to dissappear... :)

HG

HG
Scott Reil
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
 
Posts: 7493
Joined: Feb 10 '04
Location: Colchester, CT
Top

Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:04 am

No fireflies in Oregon, at least that I've seen in the 40 years I've lived here. I miss them. :(
User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
 
Posts: 7648
Joined: Jun 24 '08
Location: Oregon
Top

firefly population

Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:15 am

Oh dear... You know I hadn't really paid much attention, but now that you bring it up, it does seem like we have a lot fewer fireflies than we used to. I've been thinking it was just because of the rain.

I hadn't heard this before, so I will watch out more now.

I looked up their habitat to think about could I provide better for them and discovered something else I didn't know -- firefly larvae are said to eat slugs and snails! (oops obviously I hadn't read Scott's links yet! :oops: ) Fireflies need some standing water, even if just a little, could be one more reason they are having trouble, since we are all busy eradicating standing water due to mosquitoes. For the larvae they also like rotting wood or forest litter. For the adults they like long grass:

"Fireflies also love long grass. They’re nocturnal, and during the day they spend most of their time on the ground. At night, they crawl to the tops of blades of grass and fly into tree branches to signal for mates. Long grass conceals the fireflies better and allows them a better vantage point for signaling at night, and over-mowing your lawn may disturb your firefly population." http://www.firefly.org/firefly-habitat.html

The grass and all the rest would have to be without chemicals of course.
No wonder they are declining. I have the forest litter and I have (unfortunately) tons of standing water with a big pond at the bottom of my hillside, but I'll have to think about whether there's somewhere I can leave a bit of grass for the fireflies.
User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 25281
Joined: Feb 15 '09
Location: TN/GA 7b
Top

Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:38 pm

Yes'm, yet another good reason for leaving the gfrass long... (besides less watering, more roots, and more photosynthesis; the grass likes it more than the fireflies do...

HG
Scott Reil
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
 
Posts: 7493
Joined: Feb 10 '04
Location: Colchester, CT
Top

Please Share. Thank you!

 
 
Top


Post a reply
14 posts • Page 1 of 1

 

 

  •   Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post
  • First flower! Attachment(s)
    in Flower Gardening & Garden Design
    1
    1004
    by Asica View the latest post
  • Flower ID Attachment(s)
    in Flower Gardening & Garden Design
    7
    892
    by ButterflyLady29 View the latest post
  • What is this flower? Attachment(s)
    in Flower Gardening & Garden Design
    9
    1244
    by imafan26 View the latest post
  • Flower ID
    in Flower Gardening & Garden Design
    4
    695
    by BU54 View the latest post
  • Identify this flower! Attachment(s)
    in Flower Gardening & Garden Design
    1
    893
    by rainbowgardener View the latest post
  • some flower pictures
    in Flower Gardening & Garden Design
    4
    502
    by Jai_Ganesha View the latest post
Return to Flower Gardening & Garden Design
  • Delete all board cookies • All times are UTC
Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Copyright HelpfulGardener.com 2003-2018 all rights reserved.
All trademarks and copyrights held by respective owners.