Malva, Tree Mallow 'Bicolor'

My husband and I bought our first tree mallow about 10 years ago. We planted it in a giant terra cotta pot on our patio, just a few feet ...Read Morefrom the family room bay window. Our little Lavatera flowered almost year round here in Huntington Beach, Ca., though it was always a little scraggly looking. What we loved most about it was how much the hummingbirds took to it ! We had our backyard totally redone three years ago, and transplanted the lavatera in our specially blended garden soil in our new river rock planters. That little tree took off and flowered like never before! Sadly, my son and I pruned it back, as it was taking over. We believe the unusually cold weather and pruning combination did it in. I do have two small seedlings that started from the original tree, and went in search of a larger one this week. I planted the replacement this afternoon. We're keeping our fingers crossed !

I love this plant, although the colours are too soft for many people. This plant is sometimes mistaken for Lavatera clementii 'Barnsley'...Read More, a much hardier, but rather short-lived plant.

The flowers are much neater than the flowers of L clementii, pale lilac with a dark veining. The flowers have a long staminal tube, like a hibiscus. It flowers for much longer than L. clementii -- in the UK it flowers for five or six months. And silvery leaves -- what more could you ask for?

Coming from Mediterranean countries, it is much less hardy than the common Lavatera species -- my plants lived for seven years, but were killed when we had a frost of -7C.
If you think a hard frost is likely, wrap protective netting around the lower 12'' of the plant, and the plant might regrow in the spring - if the frost was not too severe.

Lavateras are easy-going plants and consequently tend to get neglected, and this may cause die-back (brown marks on the stems and sudden wilting of some leaves and stems). Leaf hoppers and spider mite are also a common pest on these plants . Removing dead wood,clearing away dead leaves from the soil below the plant, weeding, feeding, mulching, and spraying with a pesticide and a fungicide will all extend its life and improve their appearance.

A beautiful plant which should be used more often

Squiggly lines on the leaves are probably caused by leaf-miners, which are harmless, if unattractive. In Southern California, this plant ...Read Moreflowers almost year round with very little supplemental water. Plants usually need to be replaced every five years, but as they grow to 6' in one season, it's not a hardship.

I think the tree mallow is the one I have. Plant is growing well, however right now the leaves have a squiggly lines on them, like snail...Read Mores or something has been on them. Any suggestions on what to do to elliminate this problem?
Thanks for any and all help.
Sylvia Kinnee, Hemet,Ca