MALVA 



MALLOW OBDEB 



CALLIEHOE 275 



or in the open border, where the plants 

 are to bloom, in April and May. In the 

 first case the seedlings must be pricked 

 out and grown on till the end of May or 

 beginning of Jime before transferring them 

 to the outdoor garden. In the second 

 they need only be thinned out 12 to 18 in. 

 apart. In hot dry seasons they like plenty 

 of water at the root. The white-flowered 

 form of L. irimestris is very pretty. 



L. unguiculata. — A wooUy-stemmed, 

 shrubby perennial, native of S.E. Europe, 

 with acutely 3-5-lobed woolly leaves. 

 Flowers in late summer, light rosy-lilac, 

 about 3 in. across, axillary, on short 

 ■stalks. 



Culture Sc. as above for L. arborea. 



MALVA (Mallow). — A genus of 16 

 species of smooth or hairy annual, 

 biennial, or perennial herbs, with leaves 

 often angled, lobed, or dissected. Flowers 

 solitary or clustered, stalked or un- 

 stalked, or rarely in terminal racemes. 

 Bracteoles 3, distinct ; calyx 5-lobed, 

 stamen-tube divided at the apex into 

 numerous filaments. 



Culture cmd Propagation. — The 

 species described below are the only ones 

 worth growing. They thrive in any 

 fairly good garden aoU, and may be used 

 in borders, shrubberies or the wild garden. 

 The annual kinds are raised from seeds ; 

 the perennials also, and by cuttings. 



M. Alcea. — A European perennial 

 about 4 ft. high, with light green, downy 

 leaves pahnately lobed and cut. Flowers 

 in summer, about 2 in. across, pale rose- 

 purple. The variety fastigiata (also 

 known as M. Morenii) is a native of Italy, 

 2-3 ft. high, with lobed and toothed 

 leaves, and red flowers produced fi:om 

 July to October. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 flourishes in ordinary good garden soil in 

 warm sheltered positions, and seeds freely. 

 It may be increased by sowing the seeds 

 as soon as ripe in a cold frame, afterwards 

 pricking the seedlings out when large 

 ■enough into light rich soil in the frames, 

 or in shallow pans or boxes. They are 

 best kept under protection during the 

 winter months, giving as much air and 

 light as possible, however, on all occasions 

 except in frosty weather. By the end of 

 May or June they will be ready to plant 

 in the outdoor garden 12-18 in. apart. In 

 the milder parts of the kingdom seeds 

 may also be sown in*the open border in 



April and May. During the summer 

 months cuttings of the side shoots may be 

 rooted in sandy soil under handlights and 

 wintered in cold frames. 



M. crispa. — An erect annual 2-6 ft. 

 high, found naturalised in many countries 

 but probably a native of China. Leaves 

 smooth, angular, toothed, curled. Flowers 

 in summer, white, pale purple at the tip, 

 axillary, and almost or quite gtalkless. 



Culture dc. as above. This plant is 

 highly ornamental owing to the pretty 

 appearance of the crisp-edged leaves and 

 bushy habit. It likes a rich well-drained 

 soil and partially shaded situations with 

 plenty of water during the hot summer 

 months. It may be raised from seeds 

 sown in gentle heat in March, pricking 

 the seedlings out and transplanting at the 

 end of May. Seeds may also be sown in 

 the open border in April, and the seedlings 

 afterwards thinned out about 2-3 ft. apart. 

 In warmer parts of the kingdom seedlings 

 will come up annually from self-sown 

 seeds in autumn. 



M. mauritiana. — An erect annual 4-6 

 ft. high, native of N. Africa and South 

 Europe, with obtusely 5-lobed leaves, 

 and numerous deep purple flowers in 

 June. 



Culture dc. as above for M. crispa. 



M. miniata. — A bushy Mexican species 

 lTi-2 ft. high, having oval 3-lobed toothed 

 leaves, and axillary flowers of bright red 

 or orange-red, borne in erect spikes from 

 June onwards until cut down by frost. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species, owing to the vivid coloiuring of its 

 flowers, makes a very effective border 

 plant when grown in masses. Although 

 really perennial, it is scarcely hardy enough 

 to stand out of doors during the winter 

 months except in the very mildest parts of 

 the south and west. It should therefore 

 be raised from seeds and cuttings annually 

 in the same way as M. Alcea above. 



M. moschata (Musk Mallow). — Ahand- 

 some British perennial 2-3 ft. high. Lower 

 leaves kidney-shaped, cut; upper ones 

 with 5 deeply pinnatifid, jagged segments. 

 Flowers in summer, about 2 in. across, 

 rose, in terminal and axillary clusters. 

 The variety alha has beautiful pure white 

 flowers. 



Culture dc. as above for M, Alcea. 



CALLIRHOE. — A small genus con- 

 taining about 7 species of elegant amiual 



T 2 



