Hollyhocks in Schierstein 7

In June the small town of Schierstein in Germany is covered with flowers. The window boxes are full, flowering vines and bushes overhang the walls... more

by Sarah Loft

Title

Hollyhocks in Schierstein 7

Artist

Sarah Loft

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

In June the small town of Schierstein in Germany is covered with flowers. The window boxes are full, flowering vines and bushes overhang the walls and climb up the sides of houses. Nearly every bit of dirt, public or private, is planted with flowers. The narrow street called Anglergasse, more of a lane than a street, runs down to the harbor/ marina and was filled with hollyhocks. I don't know if it was by design or tradition or accident, but every household on that street planted hollyhocks in the little narrow bit of dirt between the front walls of the houses and the cobblestone street and next to any trees growing on the street. No other street that I saw was that organized and the effect was charming.

Per Wikipedia: Alcea, commonly known as hollyhocks, is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae. They are native to Asia and Europe.
Hollyhocks are annual, biennial, or perennial plants usually taking an erect, unbranched form. The herbage usually has a coating of star-shaped hairs. The leaf blades are often lobed or toothed, and are borne on long petioles. The flowers may be solitary or arranged in fascicles or racemes. The notched petals are usually over three centimeters wide and may be pink, white, purple, or yellow. The fruit is a schizocarp, a dry disc divided into over 15 sections that contain seeds.
Hollyhocks are popular garden ornamental plants. They are easily grown from seed. Breeds with red flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Cultivars have been bred, especially from A. rosea. They include the double-flowered 'Chater's Double', the raspberry-colored 'Creme de Cassis', and 'The Watchman', which has dark, nearly black, maroon flowers.
The stems of hollyhocks can be used as firewood, and the roots have been used medicinally.
A hollyhock flower, known in Japan as aoi (葵?), was incorporated into the official seal (mon) of the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan, and through this influence has maintained importance in modern Japanese culture. For example, it inspired the name and symbol of Mito HollyHock, a professional soccer club in a city formerly led by the Tokugawa family. The Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival) is one of the three main festivals of the city of Kyoto.

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July 2nd, 2015