Common Mallow
Malva sylvestris
Malva sylvestris, commonly known as Common Mallow or Tall Mallow, is a robust perennial or biennial herb in the Malvaceae family that has been a familiar presence in European hedgerows, waste grounds, and gardens since antiquity. Its attractive pink-purple flowers with darker veins bloom prolifically from summer into autumn, while its distinctive disk-shaped seed pods — affectionately known as "cheeses" — have delighted children for centuries who snap them open like tiny wheels of cheese.
• The seed pods are called "cheeses" because of their round, flattened, cheese-wheel shape — children have collected them as a snack for centuries
• The genus name Malva comes from the Greek "malache" meaning "soft," referring to the plant's emollient properties
• One of the most historically important medicinal plants in European folk medicine, used as a soothing demulcent for throat and skin ailments
• A close relative of the marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis), whose roots gave us the original marshmallow confection
• The leaves are rich in mucilage, giving them a slippery texture when cooked — used to thicken soups in Mediterranean cooking
Taxonomie
• Found throughout Europe from the Mediterranean to southern Scandinavia
• Also occurs in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia
• Has been naturalized in North America, Australia, and other temperate regions
• Known since antiquity — the Romans cultivated mallow as a vegetable and medicinal plant
• The species epithet "sylvestris" means "of the woodland," though it grows in many open habitats
• First described by Linnaeus in 1753
Stems:
• Erect to ascending, branched, covered with soft, stellate (star-shaped) hairs
• Green to reddish-green, becoming somewhat woody at the base
Leaves:
• Alternate, orbicular to reniform (kidney-shaped), 5 to 15 cm across
• Palmately veined with 5 to 7 shallow lobes, margins crenate (scalloped)
• Dark green, softly hairy on both surfaces
• Long petioles, 5 to 20 cm
Flowers:
• Axillary clusters of 2 to 6 flowers, each 2 to 5 cm across with 5 petals
• Petals deep pink to purplish-lilac with distinctive darker violet veins
• Five sepals with an epicalyx of 3 free bractlets
• Blooms June to October
Fruit:
• Disk-shaped schizocarp, 6 to 8 mm across — the famous "cheeses"
• Segments (mericarps) arranged like a wheel of cheese, each containing one seed
• Found in hedgerows, field margins, waste ground, roadsides, and gardens
• Prefers fertile, well-drained soils but tolerates poor conditions
• Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
• Host plant for several moth species including the mallow moth (Larentia clavaria)
• Seeds are eaten by finches and other small birds
• The plant has a long flowering period, providing nectar from June through October
• Produces abundant mucilage that may deter some herbivores
• Sow seeds directly in spring or autumn; germination is usually reliable
• Prefers full sun to partial shade
• Tolerates most soil types including clay and chalk
• Drought-tolerant once established
• Can self-seed freely — deadhead if spreading is a concern
• Hardy to approximately -20°C (USDA Zone 5)
• Cut back after flowering to encourage fresh growth and a second flush of blooms
Anecdote
The word "mauve" — the English color name for a pale purple — comes directly from the French word for mallow. When the first synthetic aniline dye was produced in 1856 by William Perkin, its distinctive purplish-pink color reminded him of mallow flowers, and he named it "mauveine." This discovery launched the synthetic dye industry and made Perkin a wealthy man at the age of 18.
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