Plant Witchery: Discover the Sacred Language, Wisdom, and Magic of 200 Plants - Juliet Diaz 2020

Hollyhock Alcea
A Compendium of Plants

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES

creativity, abundance, new beginnings

The name Alcea is derived from the Greek word for "healing," but hollyhocks have an unusual kind of healing. They are associated with the cycle of life, and have been for time immemorial: An excavation in Iraq, which uncovered nine Neanderthal skeletons around 60,000 to 80,000 years old, indicated some kind of elaborate funeral ceremony—and the pollen from hollyhock was present. Ancient Egyptians also made wreaths of hollyhock and buried them with their mummified dead.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Hollyhock can ease the pains of labor, if used in moderation, and a salve made from the blossoms is good for the skin. Her roots are rich in sugars, and may be eaten or made into a syrup. Her flower is used to make a medicinal tea that can be good for treating breathing disorders and digestive tract problems. Some people apply hollyhock directly to the skin to treat ulcers and painful swelling (inflammation).

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

Hollyhocks are bridges to the other side and assist you in crossing over safely. They stand tall, reaching unapologetically for the heavens, guiding lost souls still roaming the Earth onward to the next journey. Those of us who are able to see and communicate with spirits are drawn to hollyhocks, and I recommend growing them in your front garden to invite visiting spirits. You can also create a wreath of hollyhock and hang it on your front door from October through November, when the veil between worlds is thin—this will keep unwanted spirits from entering the home, instead encouraging them to cross over. When I was a little girl, my mother would place hollyhock in my sock or in my hair to keep me safe while I roamed the cemetery that was my playground.

Work with hollyhock for abundance and fertility. If you are trying to conceive, or are working sympathetic Magic for someone who is, hollyhocks can help you with that energy. Similarly, she can invite monetary abundance, allowing you to grow within yourself and within your life more of whatever it is you wish.

PLANT WISDOM

Hollyhock brings perspective to the importance of love and of those around you—she reminds you not to take life for granted, and to spend more time with your family. She visits those who feel alone and have no extended family. For this reason, I often bring hollyhock to local homeless shelters, where she can share her energy of love and belonging.