ALL PREORDER SPECIES ARE STILL GROWING IN OUR GREENHOUSE - Please note all orders containing preorder species will be held until all plants in your order are ready to pickup or ship. If you would like available plants sooner please make two separate orders.
Light
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Full, Partial
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Moisture
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Wet to Medium
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Bloom
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Late Summer
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Color
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Pink
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Height
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5 FT
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Swamp rose mallow is a large, woody-based, herbaceous perennial in the mallow family. Many unbranched stems spread from one crown, reaching up to eight feet high and four feet across, giving this plant a strong, bushy appearance. It loves full sun and thrives in nearly any soil that has consistent moisture. It is a wonderful plant for rain gardens, pond edges, rear borders, late season living fences, or as a showstopping home garden centerpiece. New growth is slow to develop in the spring but accelerates dramatically in the heat of summer. Broad, toothed, dark green leaves are arranged alternately up the sturdy stems.
In midsummer to fall, swamp rose mallow puts on a month-long parade of huge hibiscus flowers that open for only a day or two each. These flowers bloom from the tips of the stems unlike the flowers of the closely related Hibiscus laevis, which bloom along the lengths of the stems. The flowers of swamp rose mallow are among the largest of our native flora, reaching over six inches in diameter. They are white to soft pink saucers composed of five overlapping petals. A pale yellow column of stamens protrudes from a deep magenta throat, creating a moment of stunning contrast.
The specific epithet moscheutos means “musk-scented”, although these flowers produce little detectable aroma. However, they attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. The foliage also supports the larvae of a few butterfly and moth species. The large, buoyant seeds that follow pollination are formed in dark, visually appealing pods. The buoyancy of the seeds allows them to be dispersed by water. All parts of this plant have historically been used in medicine. Swamp rose mallow is related to okra and its edible unripened seed pods can be prepared as okra.
