Malva sylvestris (common mallow, "Usubeniaoi")

Japanese name: ウスベニアオイ （薄紅葵）
Scientific name: Malva sylvestris

[Overview]
A biennial or perennial growing to 150 cm tall.
The stems and leaves bear coarse hairs.
The leaves are simple and alternate, palmately and deeply 5–9-lobed, with blunt teeth on the margins.
The leaves have long stalks.
The flowers are borne in bundles in the leaf axils in the upper part of the stem; they are pale pink with darker veins, with 5 petals, about 2.5 cm across.
The fruit is a schizocarp that splits into mericarps.

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

[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; herbal tea made from the flowers is blue, but turns pink when lemon juice is added.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It has a taproot and dislikes transplanting, so sow the seed directly where you want the plant, or sow in plastic pots and transplant.
As long as the site is sunny and well drained, it is not particular about soil.
If the environment suits it, it grows well even when left alone.
For potted plants, water thoroughly after the soil dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Fertilizer is not particularly necessary if a base fertilizer is applied.
Pests include aphids, leaf rollers and pyralid moths.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)