hollyhocks moving

I had a volunteer hollyhock plant itself in a very bad spot in a small yard. It is beautiful and huge and in the way and am wondering if I can move it without to much damage? if so when is the right or wrong time to do this? it just started to bloom so I assume now is not the time:)

correct, moving in bloom would be rough. I think hollyhocks are biennial anyway, so once this booms and sets seed, it will die.

I have had Hollyhocks live several years, in my similar mild climate. I did move one volunteer, and it did fine. It was 7 ft tall. It would grow new leaves after blooming, and stay green all winter. It lived another year.

I would probably wait until it is done blooming, cut that stalk to the ground, and move it with a big rootball. since it will be summer, it should be babied-water regularly this year. Also, if it is not a pretty shady spot, when I am moving plants like this in the summer, I will use a plastic chair or something to give it shade for a week or two until the roots get established.

Also, since you like it, you might wait a bit longer to take off the flower stalk-if you wait until there are dry seeds you could sprinkle them around too. Early fall (late August early Sept) is a very nice time to move perennials here, but they will need to be watered for a month or so until the rains come. When I first moved here, I tried moving plants in fall, and had a lot of losses. "They" say to move things in fall, but even October seems too late for many things here to get established. Maybe it is too dim light or something.

Another thing-some plants that are biennial do die in their second year, after blooming. As Sally says, hollyhocks are supposed to be like this. People say you can keep them going an extra year or two sometimes if you cut off the blooms before they make seeds. But the ones I had survive I did not do this-I left the stalk on so it would make seeds because I like volunteers.

This is a picture of the plant in question. I am not 100%that it is a holly hock.

Thanks so much for the advice!

Hi Wendy-I actually think this might be some kind of Malva. Try posting it in the Plant Identification forum. I never moved one, but I don't think it has a taproot so probably the same advice would work.

I agree with Pistil that it might be some type of Malva. If so, round here many folks call it Rose of Sharon. Whatever it is, it's very pretty (and I would also like 1st dibs on that rocker in your yard!)

I did a general search in the Plant Files using 'Rose of Sharon' and many look like what you have.

not Rose of Sharon (which is Hibiscus syriacus) possibly another Hibiscus though.
Hollyhocks flowers bloom on a tall stem above most of the leaves.

I stand (actually I sit) corrected. I think we're kinda on the right track, but at this point, I'll leave it to y'all to determine. I have no other suggestions. Hope you find what you need to know.

Check out Malva sylvestris.