Short Description
The common mallow can grow up to 1.2 m high.
The leaves are solitary and alternate on the stem. They are roundish to heart-shaped, lobed and finely hairy.
The stem is tufted with rough hairs.
The flowers have five pinkish-purple petals. They have a darker longitudinal pattern. The stamens are fused and stand columnar in the centre of the flower.
The fruit is a schizocarp that splits into ten to twelve mericarps.
Features
Common mallow
Malva sylvestris
staminal column
In the city
In the city, it is mainly found along roadsides and forest edges. It prefers dry and light locations with nutrient-rich soils.
Fun Facts
It was already cultivated in ancient times as a vegetable and medicinal plant.
The flowering period is from May to September.
It is an important food plant for the caterpillars of various butterfly species.
The flowers can be used as natural food colouring.
The leaves are used in natural medicine for coughs and inflammation of the throat.
It lives for several years and generally flowers and fruits annually (perennial plant).
- Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
The mucilaginous fruits used to be made into porridge for children.
Sources
Habitus, Meneerke bloem, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Malva_sylvestris_RHu_001.JPG
Blüten, Aiwok, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Malva_sylvestris_1.jpg
Laubblatt, Daniel VILLAFRUELA, CC-BY-SA 4.0, https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons
Eggenberg, S. & Möhl, A. (2007) Flora Vegetativa: Ein Bestimmungsbuch für Pflanzen der Schweiz im blütenlosen Zustand, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt Verlag.
Spohn, M., Golte-Bechtle, M. & Spohn, R. (2015) Was blüht denn da? Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.
Jäger, E. J. (2011) Rothmaler - Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Gefäßpflanzen: Grundband, Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.
Kammer, P. M. (2016) Pflanzen einfach bestimmen. Schritt für Schritt einheimische Arten kennenlernen, Bern: Haupt Verlag.
Lippert, W. & Podlech, D. (1993) GU Naturführer. Blumen: die wichtigen Blütenpflanzen Mitteleuropas erkennen und bestimmen, München: Gräfe und Unzer Verlag.
Schauer, T., Caspari, C. & Caspari, S. (2015) Der illustrierte BLV-Pflanzenführer für unterwegs. 1150 Blumen, Gräser, Bäume und Sträucher, München: BLV.
Page „Wilde Malve“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 14.03.2017, 14:24 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wilde_Malve&oldid=163575790 (Accessed: 10.04.2017).