Musk Mallow

(Malva moschata)

 

Color drawing: C. A. M. Lindman (1901-1905), Bilder ur Nordens Flora.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

Musk Mallow (Malva moschata)

Alien: Native of Europe.

Identification: Flowers pink (sometimes white), large (1.5 to 2 inches in width), with 5 petals. Petals deeply notched at the tip and with vague, darker lines. Stamens fused into a bushy column typical of the Malvaceae. Flowers in small, apical clusters. Leaves highly dissected with 5 major lobes. Plant 1 to 2 feet in height.

Distribution: Southern Canada southward to Oregon and California in the west and Wisconsin and Virginia in the east.

Habitat: Musk Mallow is found in a variety of disturbed habitats such as fields, empty lots, and along roadsides.

Flowering period: June to September.

Musk Mallow (Malva moschata)

Similar Species: 

The notched, pink petals, and the highly dissected leaves will usually identify this species.

European Mallow (Malva alcea)

 

 Similar Species