Description
Lavatera – Mallow – Tree Mallow –
There are about 25 species of annuals, biennials, herbaceous, semi evergreen or evergreen perennial and deciduous, semi evergreen, or evergreen subshrubs and shrubs in this genus. They may be short lived. They occur in the Azores, Canary Islands, Western Europe, and The Mediterranean to Central Asia, Russia, Australia, and California, USA in dry, rocky places, often near coasts. They are grown for their showy, 5 petaled, saucer or funnel shaped flowers (similar to those of Malva or Hibiscus), held singly or in racemes, mainly in summer with prominent staminal columns. The leaves are alternate, variably shaped, long stalked, and usually palmately lobed. The annual, biennial, and short lived perennial species are suitable for a herbaceous border or for summer bedding, shrubby species are best grown in a shrub border or, where marginally hardy against a warm, sunny wall.
Grow in ideally, light, moderately fertile, well drained soil in full sun. Shelter from cold, drying winds.
Prone to scale insects, root rot, rust, and leaf spot.
L. trimestris ‘Ruby Regis’ – Annual Mallow – These fast growing, short lived, softly hairy annuals grow 2′ feet tall and 18″ wide. They produce rounded, shallowly 3,5, or 7 lobed, mid to dark green leaves, to 2 ½” long, with heart shaped bases. From summer to early autumn it bears open funnel shaped, reddish pink flowers, 3-4″ across are held singly. Good for cut flowers.
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