Malva

( MAL - vuh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Mallow or Cheeseweed, this genus contains species of herbaceous shrubs and subshrubs native to temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia. These plants need full sun and regular water to perform well in the landscape. Their bright flowers will attract butterflies and other pollinators to the garden. They are considered easy-to-grow plants and bear profuse blooms of Hollyhock-like flowers in summertime. Use Malva shrubs in mixed beds and borders, planted in containers, as edging for pathways and patios, or as members of pollinator, cottage, or informal gardens. They can also be mass planted as a living groundcover or mulch.

Malva Species and Varietals

The genus Malva (previously Lavatera) is the type genus member of the plant family Malvaceae. Plants in this genus are closely related to those in Alcea (Hollyhock), Hibiscus (Rose Mallow), Althaea (Marshmallow), Abelmoschus (Okra), and Gossypium (Cotton). The former genus Lavatera has been subsumed into Malva. Tree Mallow growing zones vary depending on the species cultivated; for more information see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Malva acerifolia (Lavatera acerifolia) (Canary Tree Mallow, Malva de Risco)
These plants are native to the Canary Islands, and have foliage with a similar shape to that of Acer spp. It forms a small tree or shrub that reaches up to 5 feet tall in just 3-4 years of growth. Flowers are light pink with darker pink centers. Canary Tree Mallow is suited for USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

Malva alcea (Greater Musk-Mallow, Cut-Leaved Mallow, Vervain Mallow, Hollyhock Mallow)
These plants are native to eastern and central Europe as well as southwestern Asia. They form herbaceous perennials that reach up to 4 feet tall when mature. Flowers are pink with white centers and darker pink lines on petals. This species is commonly seen growing as a weed along roadsides, old fields, and disturbed grounds. Best in USDA zones 4-8.

Malva arborea (Lavatera arborea, Malva eriocalyx) (Tree Mallow, Velvet Tree Mallow, Annual Mallow)
Native to Europe and the Mediterranean this species grows well in USDA hardiness zones 8-11. These plants reach up to 10 feet tall and can be annual, biennial, or perennial, depending on growing conditions. Flowers are pink, purple, or lavender. Tree Mallow is considered highly invasive in California (United States), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico.

Malva assurgentiflora (Lavatera assurgentiflora) (Island Mallow, Mission Mallow, Royal Mallow, Malva Rosa Island Mallow, Island Tree Mallow, Malva Rosa)
This evergreen shrub grows best in USDA hardiness zones 9a-11a or Sunset growing zones 14-24, and is native to the Channel Islands in Southern California. It grows to 12 feet tall and wide, with green leaves. Flowers are rose-lavender and striped with white, present on plants from midspring through late summertime, though blooms can pop throughout the year. Great for a windbreak hedge. Shear to keep it dense; it needs little to moderate amounts of water.

Lavatera x clementii (Tree Mallow)
These hybrids are the results of crosses between Malva thuringiaca and Malva olbia. These evergreens grow well in USDA hardiness zones 5-9 or Sunset growing zones 2-9 and 14-24. Cultivars are listed and described below:

'Barnsley'
6-8 feet tall and wide with rose-centered flowers that open white and fade to pink.

'Barnsley Baby'
Compact with light pink flowers. To 30 inches tall.

'Blushing Bride'
5 feet tall and wide, with white flowers.

'Bredon Springs'
6 feet tall and just as wide, with rose-pink flowers and soft greyish green foliage.

'Burgundy Wine'
4-5 feet tall and just as wide, with reddish pink flowers.

'Candy Floss'
Upright with abundant pale pink flowers with dark veins.

'Eye Catcher'
Bright pink flowers with deeply veined, reddish eyes.

'Grey Beauty'
Semi-evergreen with blue-grey foliage. Mix of pink and white flowers.

'Kew Rose'
Large mauve-pink flowers on a plant with an open growing habit that reaches 12 feet tall.

'Rosea'
This variety reaches 6 feet tall and wide and has pink blooms.

Malva moschata (Musk Mallow, Musk-Mallow, Rose Mallow)
These perennial plants are native to Europe and Asia, and reach up to 2 feet tall when mature and in-bloom. Musk Mallows grow well in USDA hardiness zones 3-8. They have hairy stems and foliage, and pink saucer-shaped flowers. Blooms pop in summertime. The flowers have a distinct, musky odor to them, hence their specific epithet and common name(s). This species is considered invasive in the northeastern and northwestern United States.

Malva neglecta (Buttonweed, Cheese Plant, Cheesweed, Dwarf Mallow, Roundleaf Mallow)
This plant is often consumed as a food; leaves, stalks, and seeds are all edible. It forms a downy, prostrate plant that reaches up to 2 inches tall when mature and in bloom and is native to Eurasia and North Africa. Flowers are pale lilac to light pink. This species is considered invasive in California, the southwest, the Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest in the United States.

Malva olbia (Lavatera olbia) (Garden Tree Mallow, Tree Lavatera, Tree Mallow)
This species is native to the western Mediterranean, and is suited for USDA hardiness zones 7-9. These are vigorous perennial shrubs that reach up to 8 feet tall at maturity. Flowers are brilliant lilac-pink with darker veins, blooming from the middle of summer through fall.

Malva parviflora (Cheeseweed, Cheeseweed Mallow, Egyptian Mallow, Least Mallow, Little Mallow, Marshmallow, Small-Flowered Mallow)
These plants can have a decumbent or erect habit to them and reach up to 2.6 feet tall. Leaves are palmate, and have rounded margins, and flowers are small and light pink. The entire plant is edible, and can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a flavor similar to Chard and a mild, earthy aroma. This species is considered highly invasive in California and the southwestern United States as well as southern Australia.

Malva phoenicea (Lavatera phoenicea, Navaea phoenicea) (Salmon-Red Canary Mallow, Phoenix Mallow)
These large shrubs are endemic to Tenerife, and are considered rare and threatened with extinction. Foliage is green and flowers are salmon-orange to peach colored. These plants are suited for USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11.

Malva sylvestris (Common Mallow, Cheeses, High Mallow, Tall Mallow, Mauve des Bois, Creeping Charlie)
These plants are native to western Europe, northern Africa, and Asia and grow well in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. They can reach 3-5 feet tall and grow in meadows, hedgerows, and in fallow fields and disturbed soils. Flowers are reddish-purple with darker stripes. This species is considered invasive in North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico) and eastern Australia.

Malva thuringiaca (Lavatera thuringiaca) (Garden Tree-Mallow)
This evergreen shrub grows in USDA hardiness zones 4-9 or Sunset growing zones 2-9 and 14-24 and is native to southeastern and central Europe. 2-3 inch wide flowers are purple-pink and bloom almost year-round. Individual plants are shrubby, and reach up to 4 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide.

Lavatera trimestris (Annual Mallow, Rose Mallow, Royal Mallow, Regal Mallow, Common Annual Tree Mallow)
This species grows in all zones and is native to the Mediterranean region. It reaches 3-6 feet tall and wide from seeds sown in springtime. Flowers are satiny and about four inches across. The species is seldom seen in gardens, but varieties are widely grown with flowers in white, pink, and carmine. Great as a fast-growing summer hedge. Cultivars include 'Silver Cup' (with silver-pink flowers that have deep purple veins) and 'Beauty Series' (to 2-3 feet tall with a mix of salmon, white, or pink blooms).

Caring for Malva

Plant Malva in a space in the landscape that receives full sun; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. When these shrubs are grown in less light, they will not flower as profusely. Ensure that soil is well-draining and has a pH of between 5.5 and 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants are very drought tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone for much of the year with supplemental irrigation during extended periods of dry weather.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. In springtime, cut plants down to just above their base to encourage a flush of new growth to emerge. Malva plants are annuals or perennials. Annual species are typically pulled and composted at the end of the growing season. They can also be used as a green mulch or groundcover, left in place to enrich the soil. Perennial species can live for between 3 and 5 years in the landscape before needing to be replaced. Both annual and perennial species (except for some well-behaved hybrids) will re-seed freely in the garden, providing plants for the landscape indefinitely.

Caring for Malva in Containers
Malva plants are wonderful in the ground, but can also be grown in containers. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Malva plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Propagation

Malva can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Malva by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Malva by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods are round and hold snail-shell-shaped seeds. Once they have dried out and begun to fall out of the seed pod, cut them off the plant and place them in a paper bag. The seeds will continue to be released, and after a few days you'll have enough to plant.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 14-21 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Malva seeds are contained inside of dried flowering heads (commonly called 'Cheese Wheels') once petals fade. There are 10 to 12 seeds contained in each.

Malva seeds are commonly called 'cheeses', and are small, brown, and have a distinct v-shaped notch.

Problems and Pests

Certain Malva species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. Malva shrubs are generally pest and disease free, but can have some issues with the following: