''Alcea rugosa'', the Russian hollyhock, is a species of flowering plant in the family

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...

. It is native to Ukraine, Crimea, south European Russia, and the Caucasus, and has been introduced as a garden escapee into Wisconsin and Maryland in the United States. It is resistant to '' Puccinia malvacearum'' rust, and hardy to USDA zone 4.

References

rugosa Flora of Ukraine Flora of the Crimean Peninsula Flora of South European Russia Flora of the Caucasus Plants described in 1862 {{Malveae-stub