Definition

1. Noun:
   • A tall garden plant: "hollyhock" refers to any of various tall plants of the genus Alcea, native to the Middle East but widely cultivated for their large, showy flowers in various colors.
   • A related plant: "hollyhock" can also refer to plants of the related genus Althaea, which are similar but typically have smaller flowers than those of the genus Alcea.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The old cottage garden was filled with beautiful pink hollyhocks.
  • She planted hollyhocks along the fence to add height and color to the border.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical context: In botanical or gardening discussions, "hollyhock" is often specified by its genus ( or ) and species to denote particular types.
  • Alcea rosea, the common hollyhock, is a popular biennial plant.

Variants and Related Words

• Alcea (n): The botanical genus name for the common hollyhock.
• Althaea (n): A related botanical genus, also sometimes called hollyhock or marshmallow.
• Mallow (n): A common name for plants in the family Malvaceae, which includes hollyhocks.

Synonyms

• Alcea rosea: The scientific name for the common hollyhock.
• Garden mallow: A descriptive synonym highlighting its family and cultivated nature.

Related Phrases

• Hollyhock rust: A common fungal disease affecting hollyhock plants.
  • The gardener treated the hollyhocks for hollyhock rust.

Noun

1. any of various tall plants of the genus Alcea; native to the Middle East but widely naturalized and cultivated for its very large variously colored flowers
2. any of various plants of the genus Althaea; similar to but having smaller flowers than genus Alcea