- Botanical name: Lavatera maritima
- Common name: Tree mallow
- Family: Malvaceae
- Plant Type: Shrub, Evergreen
Purple
White
Green
- Key features:
- Attractive to wildlife
- Flowers
The tree mallow, Lavatera maritima, is lovely, fast-growing shrub with evergreen foliage. It’s fantastic for providing a long season of flowers, which usually appear in spring and last into autumn.
Lavatera maritima has white flowers with a gorgeous flush of purple veining in the centre. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it the Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Grow Lavatera maritima in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Lavatera maritima can take a light frost, but is sensitive to temperatures below -5°C, so benefits from a sheltered spot out of any cold, drying winds. Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering. Mulch annually with well-rotted manure or compost.
How to grow Lavatera maritima
-
Plant size
1.5m height
100cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Middle, back
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Frost hardy
- Soil type: Chalky / alkaline / clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Sow |
J
Do not Sow in January |
F
Do not Sow in February |
M
Do Sow in March |
A
Do Sow in April |
M
Do Sow in May |
J
Do not Sow in June |
J
Do not Sow in July |
A
Do not Sow in August |
S
Do not Sow in September |
O
Do not Sow in October |
N
Do not Sow in November |
D
Do not Sow in December |
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do Plant in March |
A
Do Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do not Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does flower in April |
M
Plant does flower in May |
J
Plant does flower in June |
J
Plant does flower in July |
A
Plant does flower in August |
S
Plant does flower in September |
O
Plant does flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Take cuttings | ||||||||||||
| Take cuttings |
J
Do not Take cuttings in January |
F
Do not Take cuttings in February |
M
Do not Take cuttings in March |
A
Do Take cuttings in April |
M
Do Take cuttings in May |
J
Do not Take cuttings in June |
J
Do not Take cuttings in July |
A
Do not Take cuttings in August |
S
Do not Take cuttings in September |
O
Do not Take cuttings in October |
N
Do not Take cuttings in November |
D
Do not Take cuttings in December |
| Prune | ||||||||||||
| Prune |
J
Do not Prune in January |
F
Do not Prune in February |
M
Do not Prune in March |
A
Do not Prune in April |
M
Do not Prune in May |
J
Do not Prune in June |
J
Do not Prune in July |
A
Do not Prune in August |
S
Do not Prune in September |
O
Do Prune in October |
N
Do Prune in November |
D
Do not Prune in December |
Lavatera maritima and wildlife
Lavatera maritima is known for attracting bees and butterflies/moths. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers.
Attractive to Bees
Does not attract Beneficial insects
Does not attract Birds
Attractive to Butterflies/Moths
Does not attract Other pollinators
Is Lavatera maritima poisonous?
Lavatera maritima has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
Plants that go well with Lavatera maritima
