About the plant

Black Hollyhock with scientific name Althaea rosea var. nigra is a plant from the family of Hollyhock, which has been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century as an ornamental and medicinal plant. This plant has very dark blackish flowers and hence this plant cultivar breeding is called Nigra.

There are not many plants that have black flowers, and that is why this type of Hollyhock has distinguished it from other Hollyhocks. The majority of anthocyanins in the dark colored petals of other plants are delphinidin glucoside, but the pigment in the petals of this plant cultivar breeding of Hollyhock also contains petunidin and malvidin glucosides in addition to delphinidin glucoside. Black Hollyhock petals are seen in black due to the simultaneous accumulation of these several types of anthocyanins. The amount of anthocyanin in black Hollyhock petals is about 20 times that of Echium.

Due to the presence of high amounts of anthocyanin and the beautiful color of its extract, the petals of this plant can be used as herbal tea alone or in combination with other medicinal plants. In addition, the extract of this plant cultivar breeding of Hollyhock can be used as a natural pigment in the food industry to color food, drinks and sweets. It is interesting to know that due to the presence of anthocyanin, the color of this extract becomes beautifully colored in an acidic environment, therefore it is also recommended for use in moisturizing color matching balms or colored creams in the cosmetic industry.
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Health benefits

In addition to the benefits of other plants of the Hollyhock family, including in the field of respiratory, digestive, and urinary system disorders, as well as being anti-thirst and reducing fever due to the presence of anthocyanin, it has an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effect and is also used as a prevention against cardiovascular diseases.