a tall thin garden plant with many flowers growing together (holy + hock type of plant (11-17 centuries) (from hoc)). Herbaceous plant (Althaea rosea) of the mallow family, native to China but widely cultivated for its handsome flowers. The several varieties include annual, biennial, and perennial forms. The stalk, growing about 5-9 ft (1.5-2.7 m) tall, bears leaves with five to seven lobes and, along the upper portion, commonly white, pink, red, or yellow flowers
any of various tall plants of the genus Alcea; native to the Middle East but widely naturalized and cultivated for its very large variously colored flowers