Pink Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)

Pink Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea), originally uploaded by Swami Stream.

The hollyhocks comprise about 60 species of flowering plants in the genus Alcea (Ál-ce-a) in the mallow family Malvaceae, native to southwest and central Asia. They are biennial or short-lived perennial plants growing to 3.5 m tall, with broad, rounded, palmately lobed leaves and numerous flowers, pink or yellow in the wild species, on the erect central stem.

Uploaded by Swami Stream on 13 Jun 09, 10.36AM IST.