How to Grow Lavatera
'Pink Reflection' from Seed
An annual mallow that makes a shrubby plant in one season, covered in wide satin trumpets of soft pink veined with a deeper shade. Grow it lean and it needs no staking.
Annual mallow does something few annuals manage: it makes a substantial, shrubby plant in a single season. 'Pink Reflection' grows to around 70cm and covers itself in wide, satiny trumpets of soft pink, each veined with a deeper shade running out from a pale throat.
The flowers have a silky sheen that looks wonderful in person. They come in waves from July until the frosts. The secret is to grow it lean: on poor, well-drained soil it stays short and sturdy, with no need for staking.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Plant Type
Hardy annual
Sowing Time
March to May
Flowering
July to September
Position
Full sun, lean soil
Height
Around 70cm
Difficulty
1 out of 5, very easy
Understanding the Plant
'Pink Reflection' is a variety of Lavatera trimestris, the annual mallow from the Mediterranean. It grows quickly into a bushy, branching plant, and its open, funnel-shaped flowers are popular with bees.
Mallows have fairly deep roots and dislike being disturbed, so they do best sown where they are to flower, or started in modules and planted out young.
Poor soil, better plants
On rich ground, lavatera grows tall and soft and flops in the first summer storm. On poor, sharply drained soil it stays compact and sturdy, and flowers just as well.
When & How to Sow
Sow under cover in modules from March, or direct outdoors from April to May once the soil has warmed.
Direct sowing is simplest
Sowing where it will flower avoids any root disturbance and gives the sturdiest plants. Sow a few seeds at each spot and thin to the strongest.
Sow 1cm deep. Sow two or three seeds per module under cover, or in small groups direct outdoors. Seedlings appear in one to two weeks.
Thin to one per spot. Keep the strongest seedling in each module or group.
Plant out or thin to spacing. Plant module-raised plants out in May or June, and thin direct-sown plants to around 45cm apart, in full sun.
Growing On Tips
Full sun, lean soil
Plant in a sunny spot with poor to average, well-drained soil. No feeding needed.
Deadhead for waves
Remove faded flowers to encourage the next flush of blooms.
Water sparingly
Water young plants until established, then only in long dry spells.
Bees
The open trumpets are easy for bees to visit.
Gap filler
Its shrubby size fills gaps in new borders quickly in its first season.
For the vase
Cut stems with several buds; they open over a few days in water.
Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Plants flop over | Soil too rich or overfed | Grow in poorer, well-drained ground and stop feeding. |
| Orange spots under leaves | Mallow rust | Remove affected leaves and give plants good airflow. |
| Plants sulk after transplanting | Root disturbance | Sow direct or plant out young from modules. |
| Aphids on shoot tips | Warm, dry weather | Rub off or rinse away; predators usually follow. |
| Seedlings eaten | Slugs and snails | Protect young plants until established. |
When to Expect Flowers
Spring-sown plants start flowering in July and produce waves of blooms until the frosts.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Sow | ||||||||||||
| 🪴 Plant out | ||||||||||||
| 🌸 Flowering |
Plant Specifications
Satin pink mallow in a single season
Sow in spring, grow it lean in full sun, and from July you will have a shrubby mound of silky pink trumpets until the frost.
Shop Lavatera Pink Reflection Seeds →