Plant of the day is: Lavatera thuringiaca or tree lavatera
I've had the pleasure of walking past several Hibiscus lasiocarpus or rose mallows this summer on a near daily basis and it has been a real treat. While not a native like H. lasiocarpus, Lavatera thuringiaca has some fantastic looking flowers and, I think, some neat foliage.
Taxonomy, etc.: Lavatera thuringiaca is a member of the Malvaceae, or mallow, family. While Wiki will try to convince you there are as many as 25 species, theplantlist.org only shows 13 species as recognized. The genus is named after the Lavater brothers, 17th century Swiss physicians and naturalists. The trend of physicians and botanists is rather absurd if you start looking. This particular species is more Mediterranean but there are a few in central and eastern Asia, California and Mexico, and Australia. Sadly a few species have naturalized in places they shouldn't be. Lavatera thuringiaca itself is listed as introduced in much of Canada, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Many L. thuringiaca listed in trade are likely hybrids between it and L. olbia and are supposed to be named Lavatera x clementii. A few cultivars are RHS Award of Garden Merit winners.
Description: Lavatera thuringiaca is a tomentose (matted hairy) sub shrub (small shrub often with wood only near the bottom). I've seen the leaves described as cordate (heart shaped) but they are really more palmately lobed with 3-5 lobes. The leaves almost remind me of a red maple. Flowers, as you can see are purplish pink and have 5 petals with an interesting little notch in them. Can actually grow fairly large up to almost 2 meters in heigh and 1 meter in width (I'm going to convert all of you to the metric system yet!).
Native Range: S.E. Europe to W. Asia - Armenia to Caucasia. L. thuringiaca subsp. thuringiaca occupies most of that range noted above and has upper leaves bluntly lobed while L. thuringiaca subsp ambigua is found in Southern France, Italy, and the western Balkans and has upper leaves that are acutely (sharply) lobed.
Culture: Reports of hardiness shift between 6 and 7 to 10. PFAF.org lists it as hardy to -20C (alright it's -4F) which is certainly possible here in Saint Louis on any given year. Can grow in a fairly wide range of soils but does need full sun. Overly fertile soil can often promote too much vegetative growth and steal from that wonderful show of flowers. The top growth will often die back during cold weather and it can be cut (reportedly! don't quote me) be cut back to the ground any time between late autumn and spring. Fairly easily propagated via seed and possibly soft cuttings in the spring.
Uses: Technically has some edible parts that don't appear to be particularly tasty. Does however have some great fiber that you can get from the stems to make ...stuff you'd make with stringy stuff? The moth Bacculatrix lavaterella use them as a host plant by mining the leaves. If you're in France, Sardinia, or Sicily in December and happen to see these ...look out for some larvae. But honestly, with a habit and flower like that, it would be a little crazy not to try and cultivate a plant like this just for the flowers and mass appeal right?
Enjoy.
Random musing on mallows. Chances are, you see a Hibiscus syriacus or rose of Sharon on a near daily basis. It's almost easy to tune them out but I do my best to notice and appreciate. Hibiscus seem to be on quite the annual use kick as well, with some very unique cultivars available.
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