Malva moschata Rosea - Musk Mallow

Malva moschata 'Rosea' is a charming perennial wild plant, quite similar to lavatera. From June to September, it produces an abundance of pink flowers (far more than its cousin displays!). The flowers have a very natural look. They are superb in borders and in bouquets.

Musk mallow is an herbaceous plant native to Europe that can be found naturally, along roadsides, in fields and uncultivated places. It belongs to the Malvaceae family. From June to September, 'Rosea' bears delightful flowers with 5 pearly-pink petals veined with a darker shade. They are perched on hairy, woody stems, adorned with deeply lobed green leaves. The plant emits a musky scent when crushed. This mallow grows in an erect and branched tuft and reaches a height of 30 to 80cm (12 to 32in).

It is a hardy perennial, at least down to -15°C (5°F), with a relatively short lifespan. It naturalises easily through spontaneous sowing without becoming invasive. In the garden, it thrives in full sun or under light shade, in any type of soil as long as it is not too wet or too dry.

Musk mallow fits well in natural gardens. Plant it with Cosmos 'Purity', yarrow, white campion, or even with sweet cicely, for example.