Lavatera maritima

RHS Plant Profile

tree mallow

Synonyms

Lavatera 'Maritime'
Lavatera maritima
Lavatera bicolor
Lavatera maritima bicolor
Malva bicolor

Herbaceous Perennial

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A semi-evergreen subshrub to 1.5m tall, with downy grey-green palmate leaves and stems. Flowers to 7cm in width, pink, lilac-pink or white with purple-magenta veins and eye, produced from late summer to mid autumn

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H3

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Malvaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Malva can be annuals, biennials or perennials, with rounded, often palmately lobed leaves and 5-petalled, open funnel-shaped flowers in the leaf axils or in terminal racemes
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: SW Europe, N Africa

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained soil in a sheltered, sunny position. In colder areas, may need protection from very low temperatures and excess winter wet. Also suitable for growing in containers that can be overwintered in an unheated greenhouse. Often short-lived

Propagation

Propagate by taking softwood cuttings in spring or by seed sown in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Wildlife gardens
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 6, Cut down growth in autumn

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to stem rot, soil-borne fungal diseases and a rust