Musk Mallow Malva moschata
Previously known as:
- Pelargonium Odoratissimum
- Phonetic Spelling
- MAL-vuh MOSS-kuh-ta
- Description
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Musk Mallow is a relatively small, herbaceous perennial, flowering bush native to Europe and Turkey in the Mallow family. It is often found along roadsides and open fields in North America. The plant will reach a mature height of about 3 feet, with a 2 foot spread. It has showy, fragrant, large pink flowers from early summer into fall. As with the flowers, the foliage is musk-scented when crushed. The genus name is an ancient Latin name. The species name means musky.
Musk Mallow prefers full or partial sun, moist to dry conditions, and loam or sandy loam soil. The leaves can turn yellowish in hot dry weather and are occasionally damaged by foliar disease. The plant is not frost tender. This plant reproduces by reseeding itself.
Must Mallow tolerates strong winds, but will not do well with exposure to salt. These plants are generally short-lived, but self seed freely when in a suitable position and more than maintain themselves. If pruned back to the main branches as it comes into flower, it will produce a fresh flush of leaves in late summer.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No serious insect or disease problems. Japanese beetles can be a problem.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Malva
- Species:
- moschata
- Family:
- Malvaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe south to North Africa
- Distribution:
- Northwestern Africa, Southern Canada south to North Carolina and to California on the west coast.
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts butterflies.
- Edibility:
- Leaves and flowers are additions to "wild" salads. The seeds are also edible.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Each flower is replaced by a ring of mericarps (hardened structures containing one or more seeds). The mericarps are about ¼ of an inch long, reniform, and hairless.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1 1/2 inch pink flowers with five notched, wedge-shaped petals. Stamens are fused into a column. Musk-scented, rose-pink flowers appear in succession over a long bloom period of early summer to early fall. Flowers appear singly or in clusters in the upper leaf axils.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3 to 4 inch palmately veined leaves with narrowly toothed lobes. Small, finely-divided stem leaves are shallowly cut into 5-7 segments. Individual leaves are 1½ to 3¼ inches long and similarly across. The upper leaf surface is yellowish green to dark green and glabrous, while the lower leaf surface is light green and glabrous to slightly pubescent.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Angular
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are light green, angular or terete, and glabrous to slightly pubescent
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
