Belonging to the Malva genus, Musk mallow has a botanical name of Malva moschata. The botanical name epithet moschata means 'musk-scented'.
Malva moschata is an erect perennial reaching upto 3 feet in height, bearing pink or white flowers in summer. It is native to western and central Europe with localised populations in North Africa and eastern Europe, and is widely naturalised in North America.
The leaves, flowers and seeds are edible.
Blooms typically mature to a diameter of 4.0 cm (1.56 inches imperial) and produce a musky fragrance, whilst displaying in these approximate colours: Pink and White. The mature flowers take a single form, with an approximate petal count of 5. Leaves appear approximately as a Ao green colour. A type of flower / herb, it mainly grows as a perennial plant - which means it typically grows best over a long period (from 3 years+). Musk mallow is known for its erect habit and growing to a height of approximately 1.00 metres (3.25 feet). This plant tends to bloom in mid summer. Musk mallow is a great plant to attract butterflies and bees to your garden.Spain is believed to be where Musk mallow originates from.
Due to how easy it is to grow in a variety of conditions, Musk mallow is great for beginner gardeners and those that like low maintainance gardens.
This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about Musk mallow have been kindly provided by our members.
How to grow Musk mallow
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Full Sun
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Low
Other than sun, this plant doesn’t need much.
Musk mallow likes a position of full sun and remember to apply water fairly sparingly. Use Zone 3 - Zone 8 as your guideline for the appropriate climate for this plant. Keep in mind when planting that Musk mallow is thought of as hardy, so this plant will survive close to or on freezing temperatures.Growing Musk mallow from seed
Scatter in place and lightly scratch into surface in fall for spring germination. Will reseed on its own.
Soil temperature should be kept higher than 14°C / 57°F to ensure good germination.Transplanting Musk mallow
Harvesting Musk mallow
Leaves, flowers and seeds may be eaten.
Companion plants for Musk mallow
These plants have been known to grow well alongside Musk mallow so consider planting:
These are too vigorous for most companions, as mallow is somewhat invasive and will overtake them. Asters and Agastache will hold their own.
Repellent plants for Musk mallow
These plants will not grow well with Musk mallow so avoid planting these within close proximity:
Common Musk mallow problems
These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect Musk mallow plants:
Musk mallow Etymology
“Moschata”: refers to the musk-like smell of the crushed leaves.
“St. Simeon’s Herb”: Malva moschata was held to be a herb for use in treating blindness. (This refers to the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple: St. Simeon was blind.)
Other names for Musk mallow
St. simeon's herb
Misspellings: Muskmallow, Musk-mallow
Musk mallow care instructions
How long does Musk mallow take to grow?
Footnotes
Popular varieties of Musk mallow
Musk mallow Forums
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I like my white musk mallow so much, I'm considering getting different kinds of mallow in to my garden, but I would l...
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