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 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 about 1/16 inch deep.
• 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.