ALTHAEA ROSEA CAV

Family: Malvaceae
English common name: Mallow
Polish common name: Czarna Malwa; Roza Rajska German common name: Malve
1. Botanical description
Mallow is generally known as an ornamental garden flower.
The root is thick, long, and spindle-shaped.
The stem is straight and grows from 1.5 to 2 m. It is round and covered with green-grey hairs.
The leaves come in many shapes, but are usually palmately divided. All are hairy and light green.
The flowers, which grow in the leafaxils, come in many colours, but prevalently pink. They have almost no calyx.
The seed is large, brown and smooth. The taste is tart-slimy. The flowers have a very faint scent but the other parts of this plant have none.
2. Origin and distribution
It grows wild in Greece, Turkey and Syria and prefers soils rich in lime and mulch. It has been introduced to all continents, but in France and Germany there are large, commercial plantations.
3. Cultivation
For commercial purposes a variety which has dark purple, almost black, flowers is grown. The soil must be damp but not wet or the plant will rot, and if it is too dry the plant will not thrive. Manure is the best fertilizer but superphosphate also serves well.
Plant the seeds in seed-boxes and then transplant the seedlings, spaced 60 em apart, into beds. It enjoys heavy soils containing an abundance of lime, and . es sunny, wind-sheltered positions.

After two years of flowering the flowers grow pro­gressively smaller so that two years cultivation is the maximum for commercial purposes. It flowers from early summer to late autumn. The dried flowers have a bluish tint 4. Harvest
Collect only the petals of the flowers, shortly before they are fully developed. Early morning or late after­noon are the best times. The petals should be dried, spaced well apart so that they do not overlap.
5. Active elements
Mucilage, potassium, calcium, tannin.
6. Use
Soothes and relieves cramps. It also stimulates the menstrual flow.
The boiled petals are used as a poultice against bruises and the brew as a· mouthwash in cases of inflammation. It also relieves hoarseness and cough.
In commerce the dark flowers of mallow are used to give body and permanence to red coloured wines.
7. Trade name

Flores malvae arboreae.