Growing African Mallow Standards: Vivid Pink Blooms on Trained Standards

Growing African Mallow Standards

African Mallow is an undiscovered treasure with vivid pink 1-inch blooms set off by deep cranberry eyes, borne in amazing profusion. Set on a sunny terrace or added to a border, 4-foot standards produce waves of bloom all summer. Perennial in Zones 9–10. Shipped in 10-inch terra-cotta pots. Exclusive.

Winter Care for Shipped Plants

To keep blooms coming, place in a sunny window (south or southwest) with daytime temperatures 60–75°F, cooler at night. In spring, move to a larger pot; after frost danger passes, place outdoors in full sun. Prune hard after a bloom wave to maintain ball shape.

Pest Control

Indoors, prone to whiteflies. Isolate infested plants immediately. Dunk all but pot into warm soapy water (Ivory soap works). Hold hand over potting mix to prevent soil loss. If pests persist, spray upper and lower leaf surfaces with insecticidal soap. Repeat dunking every 3–4 days until insects disappear.

Growing Standards

A standard is a woody plant trained to a single stem with a rounded head. This beautiful but unnatural form requires effort to maintain.

Staking a Standard

Keep out of strong winds. Use a stake at least as thick as the stem, long enough to reach inside the head. Fasten with garden twine or green plastic tie tape in figure-eight loops. Check ties periodically and loosen if they constrict stem growth.

Pruning, Fertilizing, and Repotting

Maintain head shape with selective pinching of new shoots (over-pinching prevents flower buds). Pinch each shoot between thumb and forefinger or cut with shears. Do not shear like a hedge. Fertilize as other pot-grown plants. If plant dries quickly, repot: make four deep vertical cuts in root ball, move to pot 2 inches wider and taller, fill with fresh mix, water thoroughly.