Malva sylvestris L.

Herbs, annual, biennial, or perennial, 0.5—1.5(–3) m, hairy to glabrate, hairs simple and stellate. Stems erect or ascending, glabrous or sparsely hairy, hairs both simple and stellate. Leaves: stipules persistent, lanceolate to ovate-triangular, 3–5(–8) × 3 mm; petiole 1/2 to 1 1/2 times as long as blade, pubescent in adaxial groove, otherwise glabrous; blade reniform to suborbiculate-cordate, unlobed or shallowly 3–7-lobed, sinuses to 1/2 to base, (2–)5–10(–14) × (2–)5–10(–14) cm, base cordate to ± truncate, lobes semicircular to oblong, margins crenate, apex rounded to wide-acute, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy, hairs simple or stellate. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary or in 2–4-flowered fascicles, long-stalked. Pedicels 1–2.5 cm, 1–4.5 cm in fruit, much longer than calyx, glabrous or sparsely stellate-hairy; involucellar bractlets distinct, sometimes adnate to calyx in basal 1 mm, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic or narrowly obovate, reticulate-veined, (3–)4–5(–7) × 2.5–4 mm, shorter than calyx, margins entire, surfaces glabrous, sparsely ciliate. Flowers: calyx reticulate-veined, 5–6 mm, to 10 mm in fruit, lobes incompletely enclosing mericarps, stellate-puberulent; petals pink to purple or reddish purple with darker veins, usually drying blue, (12–)16–30(–45) mm, length 2 1/2–3(–4) times calyx; staminal column 5 mm, minutely, retrorsely stellate-puberulent; style 10–12-branched; stigmas 10–12. Schizocarps 7 mm diam.; mericarps 10–12, 2–2.5 mm, margins sharp, not winged, sides thin and papery, with radiating veins, surface strongly to obscurely reticulate-wrinkled, usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely hairy. Seeds 1.5–2.2 mm. 2n = 42.

It is a temperate plant. It does not grow well on acid soils. It can grow in poor soils but does better in fertile soils. It prefers well drained soils in a sunny position. Plants can stand freezing temperatures. It can grow in arid places. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 3,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 3-9. Tasmania Herbarium.

The leaves are eaten cooked or raw. They are added to soups. This gives the soups a smooth texture. The immature seeds can be eaten raw. The flowers can be eaten raw. They are used as a garnish. They are also used for tea. The leaves are used as a tea substitute. The leaves are used for sarma in Turkey. They are rolled around a filling of rice or minced meat.

It is grown from seed sown where the plants are to grow. Seeds germinate in 2 weeks.