Planting and Growing the Virginia Saltmarsh Mallow

Also known as seashore mallow, salt marsh-mallow, and the Virginia fen-rose, this native is a member of the mallow family of plants. Botanically, it is Kosteletzkya virginica. It is a native plant to the United States.

Virginia Saltmarsh Mallow Description

Growing three to five feet high and four feet wide, this hairy perennial subshrub has light pink flowers. Leaves are deciduous and alternate. Flowers look like hibiscus flowers and three inches wide, closing at night. They have yellow stamens. Bloom season is between June and October. It can be identified from a hibiscus because of its fruit segments being in a flat ring.

Growing Guide

Grow this flowering plant in full sun with a moist acidic soil. It tolerates heat, clay, and alkalinity. It moderately tolerates salt. Propagate by softwood cuttings or by seed. Tip cuttings should be taken before the plant flowers. Seeds need to soak the night prior to planting.

Distribution

The Virginia saltmarsh mallow is found in the states of Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. Is it seen in swamps, brackish marshes, and the coastal plains.

Wildlife Attracted

It will attract both hummingbirds and butterflies to the landscape, and does well as an addition into those types of gardens.

These flowers only last about five years, and it takes that long to reach the plant's full maturity growth. Its height is a good way to tell how long of a life it has left.

Source: NPIN