Description
Malvaceae (family name)
Forage for Pollinators: Produces Nectar for Honeybees and Short and Long-tongued Bumblebees such as Bombus lapidarius, B. pascuorum, a Solitary bee and the Common Blue Butterfly. Pollen is produced but not of interest to Honeybees; Many species of Hoverflies are attracted to the Pollen such as Eristalis tenax, Episyrphus balteatus, Syrphus and Platycheirus (source: Oxford Journals 1998). The flowers are pollinated mostly by Bees.
Flowering time: July, August.
Growing information: NATIVE PERENNIAL WILDFLOWER growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in) by 0.6 m (2ft). Does well in dry soil grassland, with a mixture of other wildflowers, hedgerow or woodland edge. Can thrive anywhere so may behave a little weed-like in a tidy garden. Leaves can be eaten raw (or cooked) with a mild, pleasant flavour. They make a good perennial substitute for lettuce in a salad, producing fresh leaves from spring until midsummer, or until autumn from spring sown plants. Medicinally similar to Althaea officinalis. This can become a weed, so perhaps best only in your wild garden or more remote patches.
