Japanese name: マルバストラム ラテリティウム Scientific name:Malvastrum lateritium
[Overview]
An evergreen perennial.
The stem becomes woody at the base and branches freely; it creeps along the ground or leans on other plants as it grows, and roots from the parts that touch the ground.
The plant is 30 cm tall, sometimes about 70 cm, and about 1 m across.
The leaves are alternate, palmately divided into 3–5 lobes, about 7 cm long and wide, toothed, and have petioles.
A single salmon-pink 5-petaled flower 4–5 cm across is borne in each leaf axil; the center is yellow, surrounded by a crimson ring pattern.
Each flower closes after one day.
The fruit is a schizocarp.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by stem-tip cuttings.
It can overwinter outdoors in warm areas south of the Kanto region where no frost falls.
It prefers sunny, well-drained soil.
It tolerates about partial shade, but with poor sunlight it becomes leggy and flowers poorly.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long sunny spell and the soil dries out.
Apply fertilizer at planting, and for potted plants also place slow-release fertilizer on the soil once a month from spring to autumn.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
