Description
Althaea –
There are 12 species of annuals and perennials, in this genus. They are native to moist often-coastal areas salt and brackish habitats from Western Europe to Central Asia. They produce broadly egg shape shallowly to deeply lobed dark green leaves. On strong, short, wiry stems it carries racemes or panicles of small pink to bluish purple, 5 petaled flowers blooming from summer to autumn. It’s well suited for a mixed or herbaceous border or wild flower gardens.
Grows in a wide range situations, but thrives in fertile moist but well drained soil in full sun.
Prone to powdery mildew, white mold, Septoria leaf spot, Flea beetles and Japanese beetles.
Althaea armeniaca – This erect woody-based perennial grows 4’ feet tall and only a foot wide and derives from Central and Southwestern Asia and Southeastern Russia. It produces triangular oval toothed deeply 3-5 lobed, 6” long, dark green leaves with paler undersides that are densely hairy. Mid summer to early autumn it bears racemes of open funnel shaped deep rose-pink flowers 2” across from leaf axils.
Zones 3-9
