Checkerbloom Brilliant

Your plant has very likely been attacked by rust, a common fungal disease that mallows occasionally suffer from, especially during humid and muggy summer weather. You can quickly resolve the problem by immediately removing and disposing of the most affected leaves (never put them in the compost) and then applying a suitable fungicide spray. Prevention also helps—always water the plants directly at the roots, never over the leaves.

Exactly! Mallow flowers are not only beautiful but also 100% edible. You can use them to romantically and creatively garnish summer vegetable and fruit salads, or as an edible decoration for various desserts and cakes. Furthermore, they don't have any strong specific scent or taste, so they won't overpower the flavors of your culinary creations.

Lavatera grows to a height of 80 to 100 centimeters. It forms strong, sturdy, straight stems. A huge advantage for gardeners is that it does not need any support or staking, even in windy weather. It maintains a beautifully upright shape.

Yes, the plant is completely safe and not at all poisonous. You don't need to worry about your curious children or pets if they happen to taste a piece of a leaf or an enticing flower in an unguarded moment.

Yes, absolutely. During the summer months, the Brilliant mallow acts as a true magnet for pollinators. Its small crimson flowers are a rich and easily accessible source of nectar and pollen, reliably attracting a multitude of bees, bumblebees, and colorful butterflies to your garden from summer through autumn.

The mallow comes from the sunny plains and meadows of North America, which is why it thrives best in full sun. The soil should be loamy, sufficiently rich in humus, and above all, well-draining to prevent the roots from rotting in wet conditions during winter. Avoid heavy clay soils, or amend them with sand and high-quality compost before planting.

You can look forward to a very long blooming period from June until the end of September. The flowers resemble miniature hollyhocks. Lavatera is absolutely excellent for cutting; its long stems stay fresh in summer bouquets for a very long time. Conversely, it is not at all suitable for drying, as the flowers lose both their color and shape.

You have absolutely nothing to worry about; this cultivar is fully hardy down to -28 °C (hardiness zone 5a). It handles our Central European winters with no problems at all and requires no special winter protection. It naturally dies back in the autumn and reliably sprouts new shoots in the spring.

The term short-lived perennial means that one individual plant lives in the same spot at its full strength for about three to four years. During this time, it will delight you with abundant flushes of flowers, but then it may gradually begin to weaken, flower less, and eventually die off. Since this cultivar does not self-seed very much, it is a good idea to rejuvenate the plant after a few years and keep it in good condition through manual propagation.

Unfortunately, young seedlings and fresh spring shoots of the mallow are a popular treat for slugs and snails. We recommend checking the plants and their surrounding area regularly, especially in the spring.

The best and most reliable way to propagate and rejuvenate older plants is by dividing the clumps in early spring. Carefully dig the plant out of the flowerbed, use a sharp spade or gardening knife to divide the old clump into several smaller sections with healthy, strong roots, and replant these new sections immediately in a sunny spot. This will ensure you have beautiful plants for many years to come.