Botanical Interests
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Product Details
Product Details
From a distance, the dark color of The Watchman is as black as the moonless night sky, but on closer inspection you can see its rich, purplish burgundy cast. Seductive towers of flowers for bees and butterflies make an excellent backdrop for pink, red, yellow, or white flowers. Fairly drought tolerant but performs best with ample moisture. Hollyhock flowers are edible, but very bland; however, the large, colorful petals are lovely garnishing salads or desserts. (The flower's central disk, while edible, can be bitter.)
Your hardiness zone is
- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
Variety Info
Family: Malvaceae
Native: Origin unknown
Hardiness: Biennial, hardy in USDA zones 2–8
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Period: Summer
Plant Dimensions: 5'–7' tall
Variety Info: 2"–4", deep burgundy (almost black) flowers
Attributes: Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Drought Tolerant, Edible Flower
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, or 2 months before your average first fall frost date.
When to Start Inside: 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date. Roots are sensitive to disturbance; sow in biodegradable pots that can be planted in the ground.
Sprouts in: 10–14 days
Plant Seeds (Depth): Press into surface
Space Seeds: A group of 3 seeds every 24"–36"
Thinning: When 3" tall, thin to 1 every 24"–36"
- Andrea P.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsJun 4, 2026Firs
I got these seeds in winter of 2025 and cold sowed them in milk jugs. Only a couple of the Watchmen seeds sprouted and I was a little disappointed. **After two years of doing hollyhocks like that I am thinking it might just be the method and not the seeds.** The ones that did come up were carefully planted and grew slowly. They lasted through this past winter's freezing temps and started off again this spring! I was so surprised to find a bloom (the first one) the other day! I had forgotten which of the plants were Watchman variety vs Chaters Double! I am loving the couple of blooms so far and am looking forward to many more! This plant is about 5 feet tall so far.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateEGEpic GardeningJun 13, 2026Hey Andrea,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed experience with The Watchman Hollyhock Seeds - what a journey it's been!
I love how you've reflected on the cold sowing method and recognized that germination challenges might be more about technique than the seeds themselves. That kind of thoughtful gardening insight is so valuable! It sounds like you've really learned a lot through your hollyhock adventures over the past couple years.
How exciting that the plants not only survived those freezing winter temps but are now rewarding you with those first beautiful blooms! And at 5 feet tall already - that's fantastic growth! I can only imagine how thrilling it must have been to discover that first Watchman bloom and remember which variety it was.
Thank you for sticking with the seeds and giving them the care they needed to succeed. Your patience and dedication really paid off, and I'm so glad you're loving the results! Here's to many more gorgeous blooms as the season continues.
Keep on growing 🌻️
- Lauri P.Verified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 starsAug 11, 2025Worth the wait!!
I bought The Watchman seeds in fall of 2023. I used the Winter Sowing method to germinate them during winter of 2024, plopped my little seedlings in the ground that spring and now - finally! - have GORGEOUS 7 to 8 FOOT SPIRES of dark burgundy-black blooms. Amazing! Zone 5a, Iowa USA.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateEGEpic GardeningAug 12, 2025Hey Lauri,
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing journey with The Watchman Hollyhock Seeds! The deep, dark color is gorgeous! Your Iowa garden must be absolutely stunning right now! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Cecily G.Verified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 starsJul 23, 2025Photos don’t do this dark beauty justice!
What a beautiful and arresting flower! He’s planted amongst very pale hollyhocks and the contrast is amazing! So much pollen everyone loves them!
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateEGEpic GardeningJul 23, 2025Hey Cecily,
Your Watchman Hollyhock flowers are AMAZING! Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing!! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Katherine S.Rated 5 out of 5 starsMar 17, 20245 Stars
The star of our 2023 garden! It was our first-time growing hollyhocks (zone 6) and we couldn't have been more excited to watch these beauties grow. Climbing to the sky, they eventually reached about 9' feet tall. When they flowered the colors changed throughout the day depending on the angle of the sun. Black to deep burgundy to eggplant purple - an exotic array at all times of day. Can't wait for a new batch to come up this spring.
Which best describes you as a gardener? Intermediate - Jenn K.Rated 4 out of 5 starsJul 15, 20234 Stars
I live in central Florida with an outdoor seed home, and almost every single one of my Hollyhocks germinated! Can’t wait to see them as flowering adults!
