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Malvaceae
Mallow
Malva sylvestris
Sweetness and gentleness.
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Genus
- Malva
- Native to
- Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer, Fall
- Type
- herbaceous
- Height
- 2-4 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- well-drained, average
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 4-8
- Lifespan
- biennial to short-lived perennial
Did you know
- Ancient Romans ate mallow as a delicacy vegetable and used it to settle upset stomachs after banquets.
- The word 'marshmallow' derives from the mallow family, as the original marshmallow candy was made from mallow root sap.
- Mallow leaves and flowers are still eaten in salads across the Mediterranean and are rich in vitamins A and C.
- Pythagoras believed mallow was a sacred plant and that it could moderate passions and free the mind.
- The flowers contain a natural pH indicator pigment that turns from purple to blue in alkaline solutions.
Color meanings
0
love
1
sweetness
2
gentleness
3
protection