Malva sylvestris
herbCommon or high mallow (Malva sylvestris) is a pretty, bushy, short-lived perennial or biennial, 2 to 4 ft tall, smothered through summer in mauve flowers boldly veined with darker purple. A close relative of marshmallow and hollyhock, it shares their mucilage and their entirely edible nature - leaves, flowers, and the little round seed pods (the "cheeses") are all eaten. It is an old cottage-garden plant, easy from seed, quick to flower, and beloved by bees. Cheerful and undemanding, it self-seeds and reappears readily, making a reliable patch once introduced.
Sun
full sun
Water
Every 6 days
Harvest
~70 days
Difficulty
easy
Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
Spacing
18 in. apart
Planting Depth
Barely cover the seed
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
Soil Type
Average, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4 – 8
When to Fertilize
Light feed in spring
Fertilizer
Compost; low needs
Sow common mallow in spring in average, well-drained soil in full sun to light shade, barely covering the seed, and thin to about 18 in. apart. It is adaptable and easy, tolerating poor soil and some drought once established, and it flowers the first year from an early sowing. Water in dry spells for the best leaves and bloom. It is short-lived but self-sows freely, so let a few seed pods ripen to keep the patch going, or deadhead to control it. Cut back leggy plants midseason to refresh them.
Start seeds indoors
Mar 4
Transplant outdoors
Apr 29
Projected first harvest
Jul 8
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
The common problem - orange pustules on the leaves; space for airflow, avoid overhead water, and remove affected foliage
Hand-pick in the morning; they chew the soft leaves and flowers
Hose off colonies; predators keep them in check outdoors
Pick the young leaves and the flowers through summer for fresh use, and gather the immature round seed pods while green and tender. Use the leaves raw in salads or cooked like a mild, mucilaginous green; float the flowers in drinks or scatter them on salads; and dry leaves and flowers for tea. Harvest leaves young, as older ones grow coarse.
Common mallow is fully edible and mildly mucilaginous: the leaves are a soft salad or cooked green high in vitamins A and C, the bright flowers are an edible garnish, and the young seed pods are a nibble. Like its cousin marshmallow it is also dried for gentle teas, and the plant doubles as a long-blooming, bee-friendly cottage flower.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.