Cut-leaved mallow (Malva alcea)
Care, watering, light and tips for Cut-leaved mallow on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Malvaceae
- Difficulty: Easy to care for
- Watering: every 5 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
About Cut-leaved mallow
Malva alcea, commonly known as greater musk mallow or hollyhock mallow, is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Malvaceae family, valued for its showy bright pink to lavender flowers. Its upright stems and lobed foliage make it ideal for garden borders, naturalized meadows, or as part of a cottage garden, attracting pollinators with its prolonged blooming period. It can reach heights of up to 1 meter, adding a vertical and vibrant touch to the landscape.
Native range
Europe and Western Asia
Care tips
This mallow thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for abundant flowering. It prefers well-drained soils, although it is quite tolerant of different soil types, even poor ones. Watering should be moderate once established, tolerating dry periods, but appreciating regular watering in hot summers. A common mistake is planting it in dense shade, which will result in sparse flowering and leggy stems.
How to save a dying Cut-leaved mallow
- Warning signs
- Yellow, soft leaves, wilted and drooping stems, stunted growth.
- First aid
- Check drainage and soil moisture. Repot if soil is waterlogged or compacted. Move to partial shade.
- What kills it
- Overwatering and poor drainage, leading to root rot. Also intense direct sun.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if rot isn't too advanced and you quickly correct watering and location.