Malva arborea

RHS Plant Profile

tree mallow

Other common names

sea lavatera, sea mallow, velvet leaf, wild tree mallow, hocyswydden

Synonyms

Lavatera arborea

Shrubs Herbaceous Perennial

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A biennial/short-lived perennial of bushy habit to 2m in height and 1-2m spread. Foliage is semi-evergreen, leaves being 8-10cm wide, lobed to semi-palmate with serrated margins. Flowers are 4cm wide, cup-shaped, in shades of pink to dark-pink, with dark-pink veining to the throat, and appear in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 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): H4

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Malvaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: Yes
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: Europe, N. Africa

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Shelter from cold, drying winds in frost-prone areas. Often short-lived

Propagation

Propagate by taking softwood cuttings in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Mediterranean climate plants
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Cut down growth in autumn

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

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