Tree Mallow

How to grow Tree Mallow

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

A coastal plant that thrives on salt wind and thin soil. Plant in spring in a sunny sheltered-from-frost position; it grows very fast in its first year.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring where it is to grow, or in pots. It self-seeds freely once established, and this is usually how it perpetuates itself in a garden.

Pests and diseases

Mallow rust shows as orange spots on leaf undersides and is common on this genus. Remove affected leaves; badly rusted plants are best replaced.

Value to wildlife

Bees work the flowers over a long season, and the seed is taken by finches.

Notes

This is a biennial or very short-lived perennial, not a permanent shrub. Plan on it flowering in its second year and then dying, and let some seed drop if you want a continuing colony. Inland it often does not survive a wet cold winter.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Malva arborea but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Malva