Malva Sylvestris Common Mallow Perennial Flower Plant
COMMON MALLOW
The common mallow is a native perennial in The Netherlands, but its widest distribution is in countries farther south. Here, it is marginally hardy and the vulnerable cultivars are therefore grown mainly as annuals. Because it takes about four months for the seedlings to come into flower, commercial growers sow very early in the year and can therefore supply flowering plants by the end of May. The flowers are about 1V2 in wide. If you sow the seeds yourself, the plants usually come into flower in late summer, but they will go on flowering for much longer. The plant continues to grow while it is in flower, and, depending on its position, ultimately reaches a height of 3-5 ft. It does best in loose, warm, and nutritive soil.
Malva sylvestris is a species of the Mallow genus Malva in the family of Malvaceae and is considered to be the type species for the genus. Known as common mallow to English speaking Europeans, it acquired the common names of cheeses, high mallow and tall mallow (mauve des bois by the French) as it migrated from its native home in Western Europe, North Africa and Asia through the English speaking world. M. sylvestris is a vigorously healthy plant with showy flowers of bright mauve-purple, with dark veins; a handsome plant, often standing 3 or 4 feet (1 meter) high and growing freely in fields, hedgerows and in fallow fields.
The characteristic “cheeses” are formed lower down the stems. Inside them, the disc-shaped seeds are packed close together like rolls of sweets, but in circular capsules.
To ensure early flowering, the seeds may be sown indoors in the first months of the year. For flowers in late summer, sow directly in the garden in early April.
Among the many cultivars, the following are currently very popular: Malva sylvestris ‘Moravia,’ because of its extra-large dark mauve flowers with deep-red veins; Malva sylvestris ‘Primley Blue,’ which has a spreading growth and does not grow more than 39 in tall. The lavender-colored flowers have mauve veins. Malva sylvestris ‘Zebrina’ has large, very pale pink flowers with strongly contrasting purplish-red stripes.