Marsh Mallow (Althaea officinalis).
This is indeed the source of the original
“marshmallows,” which gained their texture from the
sticky substance in the roots of this plant. It is a
tall and splendid wildflower, bearing many blooms at
once. The leaves are toothy and often lobed like maple
leaves. The deep purple stamens deposit deep purple
pollen on the petals. The blooming season is long,
from late June into October.
Common
Mallow (Malva neglecta). Also known as
Cheeses, because the seedpods look like tiny wheels of
cheese. This little mallow grows in yards and vacant
lots all over the city. Its flowers are small, but up
close are obviously similar to Rose of Sharon,
Hollyhock, and other members of the Mallow family.
Greater Musk-Mallow (Malva alcea).
A beautiful flower that grows among the weeds in
vacant lots and waste areas, blooming in the middle of
summer. Flowers are either pale pink or white, and the
leaves are deeply lobed. (The similar Malva
moschata has much more finely divided leaves.)
Velvet-Leaf
(Abutilon theophrasti). The large,
velvety heart-shaped leaves are distinctive; the plant
might be mistaken for a sunflower, but the golden
yellow flowers are of typical mallow form. It likes
cultivated or recently disturbed ground, and will
happily sprout up in a porch planter. Originally it
comes from Asia, where it is used both for food and
for its tough fiber.
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus).
A common garden shrub that has become something of a
pest, invading hedges especially, from which it is
very difficult to extricate. Perhaps the best solution
is to let the Roses of Sharon take over the hedge:
they make a good, dense hedge themselves, and they
have beautiful flowers in a number of different color
combinations. In Pittsburgh they happily bloom well
into October if the weather cooperates.
Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus
moscheutos). These gorgeous flowers are
the ancestors of many of our garden Hibiscus
varieties. There are two main color variants: white
with dark red eye (forma peckii in older botanists)
and the more common solid pink. They are not terribly
common here, but locally abundant. Although the USDA
PLANTS database records them only in Allegheny and
Westmoreland Counties, we have found them in Butler
County.
Flower-of-an-Hour (Hibiscus trionum).
Beautiful little Hibiscus flowers that last only a
short time once they open (thus the common name). This
plant came to the New World as a garden favorite, but
has made itself at home in the most inhospitable
places, including the gravel of a gravel parking lot.