Common Mallow – 10 Seeds

Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris) is a species of the mallow genus Malva in the family of Malvaceae. Also known as wood mallow, tree mallow and high mallow. It is a short-lived perennial that is often treated as a biennial and readily self-seeds
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It is an erect busy perennial plant, growing up to 1 m tall. It is a vigorous plant with showy flowers of bright pink/ purple, with dark veins. Flower spikes appear in summer into autumn.

Culinary Uses

The leaves can be cooked and eaten like spinach, added to thicken soups or deep-fried like green wafers. The flowers and buds can be pickled.

Medicinal Benefits

• Treatment for irritation of the mouth and throat, dry cough, and bronchitis.
• It is also used for stomach and bladder complaints.
• As a poultice to treat wounds.

Growing Common Mallow

Indoor Sowing: Winter.

Direct Sowing: Early Spring.

• The plant likes a full sun location but can grow in semi-shade. In areas with very hot summers, plant in an area that gets afternoon shade.
• Can be grown in any soil, provided that it is well draining. It prefers slightly moist soil.
• Start mallow seeds in a greenhouse or indoors in winter or direct sow in early spring.
• When sowing, spread over fine soil and then barely cover with fine soil.
• Keep soil moist until germination.
• Germination is best between 15-20°C. Germination in about in 7-21 days.
• Prick out seedlings to their own pots when large enough to handle and grow on gradually hardening off before planting.
• Mallow plants will spend their first year establishing their root systems and usually flower prolifically in their second year.
• Can be grown in containers.