Wax Mallow
Malvaviscus arboreus
- Native to:
- Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Trinidad-Tobago, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, Venezuela
Kurt Stüber [1] (www.kurtstueber.de)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Malvaceae
- Genus:
- Malvaviscus
- Species:
- Malvaviscus arboreus
- USDA Symbol:
- MAAR14
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- red
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★★★★☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★★★★★ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
- Hummingbirds:
- ★★★★★ Documented hummingbird visits (GBIF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Bagisara brouana, cotton tipworm (Crocidosema plebejana), Io moth (Automeris io), Meskea dyspteraria, straight lined mallow moth (Bagisara rectifascia), Yellow scallop moth (Anomis erosa), Xenophanes tryxus
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble (Bombus pensylvanicus), Xylocopa strandi Hummingbirds: Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) Butterflies:Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Julia butterfly (Dione vanillae), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- hummingbirds, butterflies
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers organic matter-rich soils