Malva thuringiaca (previously known as Lavatera thuringiaca), the garden tree-mallow, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family Malvaceae, native to eastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from southern Germany south to Italy, and east to southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.[1][2]

Malva thuringiaca
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Malva
Species:
M. thuringiaca
Binomial name
Malva thuringiaca
’Barnsley’, a cultivar of L. × clementii

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1.8 m tall. The leaves are up to 9 cm long and broad, palmately lobed with three or five lobes, and downy with greyish hairs. The flowers are pink, 3–6 cm diameter, with five petals; they are produced throughout the summer.[1][3][4][5]

There are two subspecies:[1][2]

  • Malva thuringiaca subsp. thuringiaca – Most of the species' range, except as below, Upper leaves bluntly lobed
  • Malva thuringiaca subsp. ambigua (DC.) Valdés – southern France, Italy, western Balkans, Upper leaves acutely lobed

Garden plants

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Most of the popular shrubby garden cultivars traditionally listed under this species are actually hybrids between it and Malva olbia; these hybrids are now named Malva × clementii.[1] The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[6]

  • 'Bredon Springs'[7]
  • 'Burgundy Wine'[8]
  • 'Candy Floss'[9]
  • 'Rosea'[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Malvaceae Pages: Herbaceous Lavateras
  2. ^ a b Flora Europaea: Lavatera thuringiaca
  3. ^ Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN 0-340-40170-2
  4. ^ Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
  5. ^ Könemann (2004). Botanica. The Illustrated AZ of over 10000 garden plants and how to cultivate them. ISBN 3-8331-1253-0
  6. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 59. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  7. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Lavatera x clementii 'Bredon Springs'". Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  8. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Lavatera x clementii 'Burgundy Wine'". Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  9. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Lavatera x clementii 'Candy Floss'". Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  10. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Lavatera x clementii 'Rosea'". Retrieved 2 October 2020.