Brilliant Prairie Mallow

Other Names: Checker Mallow

Description:

An outstanding variety presenting tall spikes of brilliant hot pink and rose red blooms; a mid sized upright perennial great for the middle of a border; cut fading flower spikes to the ground to encourage a second flush of blooming in autumn

Ornamental Features:

Brilliant Prairie Mallow features beautiful spikes of hot pink round flowers rising above the foliage from early to mid summer, which emerge from distinctive red flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It's round leaves remain green in colour throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes:

Brilliant Prairie Mallow is an herbaceous perennial with a rigidly upright and towering form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Brilliant Prairie Mallow is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Mass Planting

Plant Characteristics:

Brilliant Prairie Mallow will grow to be about 20 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years.

This perennial does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the leaves in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This plant can be propagated by division.

This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.