Lavatera maritima (Tree Mallow)

Lavatera maritima (Tree mallow) is a pretty, medium-sized, semi-evergreen sub-shrub with large, luminous, pale lavender flowers, 3 in. across (7 cm), adorned with a purple throat and reddish-violet veins radiating from it. Blooming heavily throughout the summer, this plant continues to bloom lightly throughout the rest of the year in optimum conditions. Fast-growing, this shrub features an airy silhouette and lush foliage of maple-shaped gray-green leaves. Adding a splash of color in drought-resistant gardens, this easy-care plant also attracts bees and other beneficial insects, which will help to invite natural pest control in your garden. Great as a background plant for the mixed border, Lavatera maritima is short-lived and usually does not last more than 5 years.

• Awarded the prestigious Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society
• Grows with a mounding habit to 6-8 ft. high (180-240 cm) and 4-6 ft. wide (120-180 cm).
• Easily grown in light, moderately fertile, well-drained soils in full sun. Provide a sheltered location to protect it from cold, drying winds. Once established, it needs only occasional watering. Mallows thrive in drier soils and are drought-tolerant.
• Great for wall-side borders, beds and borders, Mediterranean gardens, city gardens, coastal gardens, cottage gardens, banks and slopes, or patios and containers.
• Attracts butterflies, birds, and hummingbirds.
• Virtually pest-free. May be subject to stem rot, soil-borne fungal diseases, and a rust
• Prune lightly after the first flush to encourage additional flowering. Prune hard to shape and rejuvenate in fall.
• Propagate by taking softwood cuttings in spring or by seed sown in spring
• Native to the western Mediterranean