Just a few hollyhock flowers, at the very tops of the stalks, are still blooming. Only occasionally does a bee come to visit one of these flowers. This is a vast change from earlier in the summer, when the flowers were abuzz with a frenzy of pollinator activity. Proof of this past pollinator attendance remains further down the stem, in the form of pods packed with seeds.
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| A ring of hollyhock (Alcea rosea) seeds is visible within the seed pod. |
The multitude of seeds has made me hopeful that next year we could have many more hollyhocks growing in the garden. Unfortunately, hordes of insects have another plan for these seeds: dinner.
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| A stink bug (Pentatomidae) feeding on hollyhock (Alcea rosea) seeds. |
Among the worst offenders are several species of true bugs. These bugs sit on the outside of the seed pods and pierce both the outer wall and the seeds with their long, straw-like mouthparts.
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| A seed bug feeding on hollyhock (Alcea rosea) seeds. |
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Since the bugs are feeding on seeds before they have completed developing, I can't even harvest them to keep them safe. I just hope that some seeds will survive this gauntlet of seed predation.
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| An immature bug feeding on hollyhock (Alcea rosea) seeds. |
If previous years are any indication, more than a few seeds will survive the onslaught. Are hollyhocks biennial?
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