Hollyhock

treats cough, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, hoarseness, and inflamed respiratory passages. forms a protective film over the oral and pharyngeal mucosa, physically coating inflamed tissue, reducing cough reflex sensitivity, and humidifying the throat.
taken as flower syrup, tea, lozenges, or gargle.

good for colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and inflammation-associated cancers.
flavonoids, kaempferol derivatives, alpha-tocopherol, and phytol shut down COX-2 and NF-kappaB (cancer survival pathways), activate the caspase-3 self-destruct program, and trigger DNA repair enzyme cleavage.

accumulates lead, cobalt, cadmium, nickel, arsenic, and chromium.
used in radioactive soil cleanup at nuclear disaster sites (Fukushima, Chernobyl) and heavy metal contaminated industrial sites. the harvested plant biomass must be disposed of as radioactive or hazardous waste. hollyhock has the highest cesium-137 soil-to-plant transfer factor.

lowers blood sugar through alpha-glucosidase inhibition (blocks carb digestion enzymes), insulin sensitization, and reduced glucose absorption after meals. mucilage from the flowers and roots has the strongest anti-diabetic activity. good for type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, and post-meal blood sugar spikes.

prevents and dissolves kidney stones. good for kidney stones, recurrent UTIs, painful urination, bladder inflammation, and post-stone-removal prevention.

coats and soothes inflamed tissues throughout the digestive tract from mouth to colon.
good for mouth ulcers, sore throat, gastritis, esophagitis, gastric ulcers, IBD symptom relief, and hemorrhoids.

traditional use for menstrual pain, postpartum recovery, vaginal inflammation, and breastfeeding support. the boiled roots and leaves have been used historically to ease childbirth and stimulate milk production.

The flowers are eaten in salads, used as decorative garnish, and brewed into a deep red herbal tea. Young leaves are sometimes consumed as a leafy green vegetable.

The flowers attract hummingbirds in the Americas and butterflies globally, making them valuable for pollinator gardens.
The seeds have been used historically as a coffee substitute in Central Asia.