Yellow Spots on Hollyhocks
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Elizabeth St-Amour
Posted on: July 19, 2001

I seem to be having a problem with the hollyhocks that I have planted last year. They are getting yellow spots on the leaves and are stunted in growth and they are starting to flower but only a couple of flower heads have come up. I do not know what is the cause of this problem but I seem to also have it on my older hollyhocks.

If you should have any suggestions on how I can get rid of this problem it would be very much appreciated.

Hollyhocks are susceptible to a rust and your plants may be suffering from an infestation. The fungus is systemic and the only help is a systemic fungicide formulated for rusts and I cannot recommend it because of its toxicity. It would be best to rip out all of the hollyhocks and burn them or put them into the municipal garbage to get rid of the infection. Then do not grow hollyhocks or other mallows near the spots for 2 to 3 years (to foil any spores surviving in the ground) and then start fresh with plants grown from seed. Spray the new plants with a sulphur spray periodically to prevent any spores carried by the wind from some adjacent property from infecting your plants.

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