Malva mauritiana ("Zeniaoi")

Japanese name: ゼニアオイ （銭葵）
Scientific name: Malva mauritiana

[Overview]
An annual to perennial 100 cm tall.
The plant is covered with coarse hairs, but the stem is almost hairless.
The leaves are simple and alternate, palmately and shallowly divided into 5–9 lobes, with toothed margins.
They have long petioles.
The flowers are clustered in the leaf axils in the upper part of the stem; they are 5-petaled, about 2.5 cm across, purplish red with darker veins.
The fruit is a schizocarp.

[History]
It was introduced to Japan during the Edo period as an ornamental.

[Uses]
The flowers and leaves are used medicinally, and they are also used in salads and herbal tea.
An aqueous solution of the flowers changes color with pH; the flower herbal tea is blue, but turns pink when lemon juice is added.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It has a taproot and dislikes being transplanted, so sow the seed directly where you want it to grow, or sow in plastic pots and then transplant.
It is not particular about soil as long as the site is sunny and well drained.
If the environment suits it, it grows well even when left alone.
For potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil has dried; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
If fertilizer is applied at planting, no further fertilizing is particularly necessary.
Pests and diseases include aphids, leafrollers and snout moths.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)