White Perfection is Malva moschata. It is also available in pink (Pink Perfection). It grows from 2-3 ft tall, hardy perennial in zones 3-8. This malva has a lacy leaf that is unlike the leaves of most malva. It's a sturdy plant that puts out lots of hibiscus-like blooms.
OH Weezy! I see you have a canary bird vine in the background! Did you start that from seed? I've tried to grow them but never got the seeds to germinate.
The malva looks wonderful too. I like them because they're such great bloomers - heat, drought, wet or cold they always thrive. Does that one return for you year after year? Mine seem to die out after a couple seasons but they always leave seedlings behind.
Hi, Poppysue: I've only been growing this type for the last three years, so I'm not sure what it will do. I have about three plants in my south bed, and a pink one from a friend in Washington state in another bed. My friend says the pink ones self-seed all over her place, but she has a milder winter and longer season than I do. I do know that they winter over here, but I guess I'll have to wait to determine longevity!
This picture was taken at a gardener's house in town. I gave her the malva the year before, and it did quite well. That's how it goes...I start seedlings, give them to others, and theirs do better than mine! I guess I'm just destined to be the wet nurse!
The canarybird vine does very well here. This one is rather sad, I'm afraid. I think she got it started late. I start them every year, and their seed seems slightly less viable than the nasturtium, but they still come up for me. I start them in the house about three weeks before I can set them outdoors, using the newspaper pots so that I can unwrap them without damaging their extensive root system. As I recall, I soak the seed for a couple hours before planting, as I do with nasturtiums, another tropeolum.
I made the mistake of adding some canarybird vine to my pea trellis last summer, and they took over! The trellis was a mass of yellow blooms. A B&B outside of town plants canarybird vine to wind around the railing on her deck..they are quite attractive in those circumstances. Maybe they like our moist conditions.
I love this!! Beautiful and dependable!!! Haven't started growing them yet but I will. :-)
