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Allowissadula holosericea

velvet-leaf mallow

Malvaceae Texas and northern Mexico

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Allowissadula holosericea is an upright, woody-based perennial or subshrub in the mallow family, native to central and southern Texas and northern Mexico. It grows 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) tall and 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 m) wide, with stems and broad, heart-shaped leaves 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long densely covered in soft, velvety gray-green hairs. From early summer into autumn it bears yellow to orange mallow flowers about 0.75-1 inch (2-2.5 cm) across, each with five petals, opening over a long season. The plant grows on limestone slopes, rocky grasslands, and brushy ground, where it tolerates heat, drought, and alkaline soil once established. It is a larval host and nectar source for several butterflies and is visited by native bees. The plant is frost-sensitive and dies back or is killed where winters are cold, returning as a reliable perennial only in USDA zones 8-10. It can become open and leggy without occasional cutting back, and it sets seed freely, sometimes self-sowing into surrounding ground. It rots in wet, poorly drained soil but withstands extended dry spells once the woody base is established.

Native Range

Allowissadula holosericea is native to central and southern Texas and adjacent northern Mexico. It grows on limestone slopes, rocky grasslands, and brushy, well-drained ground in full sun to light shade.

Suggested Uses

Allowissadula holosericea is used in native and pollinator gardens, xeriscapes, and dry shrub borders in warm regions. It is spaced 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 m) apart to allow for its shrubby spread. It supports butterflies as a larval host and nectar plant.

How to Identify

Look for an upright subshrub 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) tall with broad, heart-shaped leaves densely coated in soft, velvety gray-green hairs that give the plant its name. The yellow to orange five-petaled mallow flowers are about 0.75-1 inch (2-2.5 cm) across and appear over a long summer-to-autumn season. The velvety foliage and shrubby habit separate it from the low-growing Wissadula spp. and Abutilon spp. relatives.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 6'

Width/Spread3' - 4'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~16 weeks

Summer Fall

Yellow to orange mallow flowers open from early summer into autumn, roughly June to October in warm climates. New flowers continue over many weeks during the warm season. Bloom slows once cold weather arrives.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Yellow to orange

Foliage Description

Gray-green, velvety

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range7.0 - 8.5(Alkaline)

357912

Soil Types

rocky loam clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Allowissadula holosericea grows in full sun to light shade in well-drained rocky, loamy, or limestone soil with a pH from about 7.0 to 8.5. Once established it tolerates heat, drought, and alkaline soil and needs little supplemental water. It rots in wet or poorly drained ground and is killed back by hard frost, returning reliably only in USDA zones 8-10. No routine fertilizer is needed in lean soils. Cutting the plant back hard in late winter keeps it dense and limits a leggy, open habit. It self-sows where seed is left to ripen.

Pruning

Allowissadula holosericea responds to a hard cutback in late winter or early spring, which keeps it compact and encourages fresh flowering growth. Stems can also be trimmed in midsummer to limit legginess. Removing seed capsules before they ripen reduces self-sowing.