1 / 2

Malvaviscus spp.

Turk's cap mallows

Malvaceae

Americas, southern United States to Brazil and Peru

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–11

Overview

Malvaviscus spp. is a genus of about three to six species of evergreen shrubs in the mallow family (Malvaceae), native to the Americas from the southern United States to Brazil and Peru. Plants form soft-wooded, branching shrubs 3–12 feet (0.9–3.7 m) tall, with heart-shaped, often lobed and slightly hairy leaves 2–5 inches (5–13 cm) long. The red flowers, 1–3 inches (2.5–8 cm) long, never open flat; the five petals stay furled into a tube with the stamen column projecting beyond them, giving the look of a turban or a partly closed hibiscus. Bloom continues through the warm months and draws hummingbirds and butterflies. Fruit is a small, fleshy, red, apple-shaped berry that is edible and mealy. M. arboreus and its variety M. arboreus var. drummondii are the common forms. Plants tolerate heat, humidity, and part shade, and resprout from the base after frost in marginal zones.

Native Range

Native to the Americas, from the southern United States (Texas and Florida) through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean to Brazil and Peru. Grows in woodland edges, thickets, and stream banks in warm, humid lowlands and lower slopes from sea level to about 4,000 feet (1,200 m).

Suggested Uses

Grown as a flowering shrub, informal hedge, and hummingbird and butterfly planting in warm regions, spaced 3–6 feet (0.9–1.8 m) apart. Plants are used in part-shade borders and woodland edges where many flowering shrubs falter. The suckering habit suits naturalized plantings more than formal beds.

How to Identify

Recognized by red flowers that never open fully, with five petals furled into an upright tube and a long stamen column projecting beyond them. Flowers are 1–3 inches (2.5–8 cm) long over heart-shaped, softly hairy leaves. The closed, turban-like bloom and the fleshy red berry separate Malvaviscus spp. from the open-flowered hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 12'

Width/Spread3' - 8'

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~20 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

Flowering runs through the warm months, generally late spring to fall, and nearly year-round in frost-free climates. Individual flowers last 1–2 days, and plants carry a long succession of blooms. Hummingbirds visit the flowers throughout the season.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-10 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 Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2–3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil with moderate water, tolerating heat, humidity, and brief drought once established. Plants are root-hardy in USDA zones 7–8, where they die back in winter and resprout, and stay evergreen in zones 9–11. Light shade suits them in hot inland climates. Stems are soft and break in strong wind. Whitefly, spider mite, and cotton root rot occur on stressed plants. Plants sucker and self-seed, forming thickets in suitable ground.

Pruning

Cut frost-killed stems to the ground in late winter in cold-margin zones, where plants resprout from the roots. Shorten and thin stems in spring to keep evergreen plants dense and within bounds. Removing root suckers limits spread into a thicket.