Appearance
It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 80 cm tall, with hairy stems and foliage.The leaves are alternate, 2–8 cm long and 2–8 cm broad, palmately lobed with five to seven lobes; basal leaves on the lower stem are very shallowly lobed, those higher on the stems are deeply divided, with narrow, acuminate lobes.
The flowers are produced in clusters in the leaf axils, each flower 3.2–5 cm diameter, with five bright pink petals with a truncated to notched apex; they have a distinctive musky odour. The fruit is a disc-shaped schizocarp 3–6 mm diameter, containing 10–16 seeds, the seeds individually enclosed in a mericarp covered in whitish hairs.
Habitat
It occurs on dry, but fertile soils at altitudes from sea level up to 1,500 m. Natural hybrids with the closely related "Malva alcea" are occasionally found.The flowers are usually pollinated by bees.
Uses
It is often grown as an ornamental plant for its attractive scented flowers, produced for a long period through the summer. Several cultivars have been selected for variation on flower colour, including 'Rosea' with dark pink flowers. the variety 'Alba' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.Leaves and flowers of muskmallow are common additions to "wild" salads. The seeds are also edible.
It has been introduced to and become naturalised in several areas with temperate climates away from its native range, including Scandinavia, New Zealand, and North America.
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