Malvaceae FAMILY

Malva moschata

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

When grown on nitrogen rich soils (and particularly when these are used inorganically), the plant tends to concentrate high levels of nitrates in its leaves[ 76 Title Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. Publication Author Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Publisher HMSO Year 1984 ISBN 0112425291 Description Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock. ]. The leaves are perfectly wholesome at all other times.

Botanical Description

Malva moschata is an erect, usually branched, perennial plant; it can grow 20 - 130cm tall[ 74 Title Flora of the USSR. Publication Author Komarov. V. L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Israel Program for Scientific Translation Year 1968 ISBN - Description An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet. , 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The plant has a long history of use as a food and a medicine. The young leaves are of very good quality for use as a salad, though the plant is mainly grown as an ornamental. The plant is often grown as an ornamental and has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in many areas. In N. America it is often found in temperate northern and coastal areas[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEurope - Britain to Spain, east to Poland, Italy and Greece; W. Asia - Turkey

HabitatGrassy places, pastures, hedgebanks etc, especially on rich soils, avoiding acid soils[ 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. ]. Meadows, coppices, wood margins, gardens and parks, ruderal sites and rubbish dumps[ 74 Title Flora of the USSR. Publication Author Komarov. V. L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Israel Program for Scientific Translation Year 1968 ISBN - Description An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].