The Hollyhocks Are Gone Now 1 is a photograph by Sarah Loft which was uploaded on October 27th, 2016.
The Hollyhocks Are Gone Now 1
This hollyhock stalk was photographed in September in the small town of Schierstein, a suburb of Wiesbaden, Germany.... more
by Sarah Loft
Title
The Hollyhocks Are Gone Now 1
Artist
Sarah Loft
Medium
Photograph
Description
This hollyhock stalk was photographed in September in the small town of Schierstein, a suburb of Wiesbaden, Germany.
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.
Note: The water mark will not appear on the print you purchase.
Featured in the Photography and Nature 101 group, July 2017.
Uploaded
October 27th, 2016
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Comments (7)
Laura Birr Brown
My kind of image!!! I love the beauty, in drying plants! This one is really lovely, Sarah!!! l/f
Sarah Loft replied:
Thank you, Laura! I know what you mean. I have roses hanging upside down all over the place. :)