Felder Rushing
Family
Malvaceae
Botanical Name
Malva sylvestris
Plant Common Name
High Mallow, Woodland Mallow
General Description
Valued for its summer-long display of pink, purple, blue, or white flowers, this large herbaceous perennial or biennial is native to Europe, extreme northern Africa and southwestern Asia.
The upright or sometimes sprawling stems bear medium to dark green leaves that are lobed in "maple leaf" fashion. Loose axillary clusters of saucer-shaped five-petaled blooms appear from late spring to early fall. Each petal is a triangle with a central notch, and typically has prominent purple veins. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers.
A tough adaptable plant, high mallow does best in full sun and average, well-drained, not too dry soil. It can become invasive because of its tendency to self-sow. Cut off spent flower stems to prevent self-sowing and promote continued bloom. Plants germinate in late summer and overwinter and bloom the following spring, often leading gardeners to treat this plant as a biennial or two-season bedding annual. It is pretty as part of a mixed border or meadow planting.
Among the many cultivars are 'Alba' (white-flowered), 'Zebrina' (pink or white blooms with purple stripes), ' Primley Blue' (a compact selection with powdery blue flowers), and 'Blue Fountain' (bluish white with deep violet-blue centers and veining).
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
8 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
4 - 8
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Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
3'-5' / 0.9m - 1.5m
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Width
20"-24" / 50.8cm - 61.0cm
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Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
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Native To
Europe, Northern Africa, Western Asia
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Blue, Purple, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender
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Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
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Fruit Color
Tan
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Dark Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
