Malva trimestris?

[microbat52]

Andrea, Birna did I ID these correctly? I didn't find them in the Malvaceas we have, let me know and I will add them formally to the botanicals section. They are growing in my balcony so can also get more shots if you want. My WB is not very scientific though.

 

Configuration is:

Panasonic lumix tz100 for visible

Converted Nikon coolpix p8800 for IR and UV

 

UVIV - unknown torch with ZWB2

IR - 680nm pass filter

UVIIR - 680nm filter + torch with ZWB2

UV - BG39+ZWB1 in camera + torch with ZWB2

 

White variety:

Visible

 

UVIVF

 

IR

 

UVIIR

 

UV - im surprised at how reflective they are!

 

Pink variety

Visible

 

UVIVF- this was so cool!

 

IR

 

UVIIR

 

 

UV

 

 

Hope you enjoy them!

[Andy Perrin]

Gorgeous! I do think they are malva something but I am not a botanist, they just look like the other malva species to me. I do know that botanists usually need photos of the leaves and stem and underside of the flower to make any kind of judgement, so I bet they will request that if you have it.

[colinbm]

Very nicely done Microbat52

[Andrea B.]

If the flower is a cultivar (i.e., not a wildflower), then it might be some kind of hybrid and not easily identified.

 

If the flower is a wildflower, then we would need to see photos of the leaves, stems, back of the flower, and the whole plant.

[photoni]

Today I took pictures of three hibiscus flowers, white pink and red ... picture very mundane

yours are fantastic.

[microbat52]

Im glad you enjoyed them!

 

Andrea I *think* they are wildflowers since they came in a wildflower mix pack. The pack says there is tree mallow, but looking at google images they look different? I have no idea, here are some photos of the plant:

 

[Andrea B.]

I'm was having trouble deciding between an ID of Malva trimestris (aka Lavatera trimestris) and Hibiscus laevis. Both also have a common name of Rose Mallow. But the round-ish leaves indicate the Malva. And usually Hibiscus plants are more "shrubby" with lots more leaves.

 

Hollyhocks, hibiscus and malvas are all related.

 

So you can go with Malva trimestris. It will make a very nice contribution.

 

What a pretty plant to grow on your balcony!

[Andy Perrin]

Can you get marshmallows out of it? Let’s stick to the important questions.

[microbat52]

Thanks Andrea! I planted this bunch of random wildflowers to see if the hummingbirds liked it but the junkies just go to the sugar water. At least I get bees.

 

Marshmallows???? So many questions.

[Andrea B.]

The marshmallows only appear in the 2nd year of growth.

 

But seriously folks, look that up. I think I recall that there is something about the Mallow plants which had to do with marshmallows. Altho these days marshmallows seem to be just pure sugar. Somebody gave me a box of chocolate Christmas marshmallows from Williams-Sonoma a few years ago. They were cut seriously square and were really good.

 

 

...random wildflowers to see if the hummingbirds liked it but the junkies just go to the sugar water.

 

S'funny...here the hummers have been ignoring my sugar water feeder which I just put out and only sipping from the flowers! Currently we have some Rufous Hummingbirds which seem to spend a more time chasing each other with lots of buzz and big zooms.

 

Micro, next year, look for some tubular flowers. Cleome, for example, grows well from seed and is a very interesting and pretty flower. Gets a couple of feet tall, And I've seen hummingbirds also at petunias. In the spring you can get a 6-pack of petunias for cheaps. There is a spreading/trailing variety which makes a nice hanging plant also.

 

Those Malva are so spectacular that they were worth growing even if the hummers ignore them.

Blessings to you for feeding the hummers!

[microbat52]

We dont have hummers in europe so im pretty obsessed with them. Ill try your suggestions in spring but I feel my guys like the easy stuff...

[Andrea B.]

You can read up about them over the winter. They are such beautiful and engaging little birds.

They do not stop at every flower. The flower should have a tube or other kind of nectar well so they can dip their beak and long tongue.

 

A flower the hummers around here really love is Hummingbird Mint = Agastache rupestris.

Scroll down when you get to that page. No need to enter your zip code.