Common Mallow

Description

Malva sylvestris, also known as the common mallow it acquired the other names of cheeses, high mallow and tall mallow, mauve des bois by the French as it migrated from its native home in Western Europe, North Africa and Asia through the English-speaking world. Grows freely in meadows, hedgerows and in fallow fields. The flowers were spread on doorways and woven into garlands or chaplets for celebrating May Day. The boiled young leaves are a vegetable eaten in several parts of Europe in the 19th century.

The attractive flower spikes create showy flowers and can make the perfect garden addition.