Tree mallow (Lavatera arborea) is a bold biennial or annual that flowers in its first year, reaching 3 to 6 feet tall on sturdy, woody stems. It produces funnel-shaped, purple-pink hibiscus-like flowers from mid-summer through fall, each bloom measuring roughly 2.5 inches across and arranged in leafy clusters. Hardy in zones 8 to 10, this Mediterranean native thrives in full sun to partial shade and moderate moisture, making it an outstanding addition to summer borders and a stunning cut flower. The velvety, deeply lobed foliage and showy blooms deliver drama that lasts for months.
Partial Sun
Moderate
8-10
72in H x 36in W
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High
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Tree mallow erupts with purple-pink, hibiscus-like flowers all summer long, each one 2.5 inches wide and arranged in elegant leafy clusters. The thick, woody stems are clothed in deeply lobed, velvety green leaves up to 9 inches long, creating a substantial, shrubby presence in the garden. It handles imperfect conditions better than some ornamental mallows; as long as you provide full sun to light shade, average soil, and moderate water, it rewards you with months of blooms worthy of cutting and bringing indoors.
Tree mallow is grown primarily as an ornamental flowering plant for summer and early fall garden color. Its saucer and funnel-shaped purple-pink blooms are excellent cut flowers, bringing height and color to fresh arrangements. The substantial growth habit and extended bloom period make it valuable in mixed borders, cottage gardens, and containers where vertical interest is needed during the warmest months.
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Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow at a soil temperature appropriate for gentle germination, then grow seedlings under adequate light until they're ready to transplant.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over a week or so. Transplant into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Space plants 18 to 36 inches apart depending on your desired final width.
Sow seed directly in the garden in spring about two weeks before your last frost date. Press seed gently into the soil surface or cover very lightly; tree mallow seeds benefit from light to germinate.
Deadhead spent flowers regularly throughout the summer and early fall bloom period to encourage continuous flowering and extend the ornamental season. If plants grow excessively tall or become leggy, you can pinch back growing tips in early summer to encourage bushier growth, though staking is often simpler than heavy pruning for this woody-stemmed species.
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“Tree mallow honors J.R. Lavater, a 17th-century Swiss physician and naturalist from Zurich, whose name was given to the entire genus. The species Lavatera arborea earned its common name from its woody, tree-like growth habit; it was sometimes classified as Malva dendromorpha before modern botanical revision clarified its true identity. This Mediterranean species has long been cultivated as an ornamental in temperate regions, prized for its abundant summer flowers and architectural form.”