Dwarf Mallow, Low mallow
Latin Name: Malva pusilla
USDA Hardiness: 5-9
Native Range: TEMPERATE ASIA: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq (north), Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan EUROPE: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Portugal
Edibility Rating: 4 / 5
Medicinal Rating: 2 / 5
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Medicinal Uses
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves Seed | Edible Uses: Leaves - raw or cooked[74, 145]. A mild pleasant flavour, it can be used in quantity and makes an excellent salad plant. It is possibly the best for flavour in this genus though it is much lower yielding than the annual M. verticillata 'Crispa' or the perennials M. alcea and M. moschata[K]. Seed - raw or cooked[74, 105]. Best used before it is fully mature, the seed has a pleasant nutty taste but it is rather small and very fiddly to harvest[K].
Cultivation
A very easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil[1], though it prefers a reasonably well-drained and moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[200]. This plant has been extensively cultivated as a pot-herb in some countries[4]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233]. Plants are prone to infestation by rust fungus[200].
Known Hazards
Although we have seen no reports of toxicity for this species, when grown on nitrogen rich soils (and particularly when these are cultivated inorganically), the leaves of some species tend to concentrate high levels of nitrates in their leaves[76]. The leaves are perfectly wholesome at all other times.
Habitats
Waste places, foreshores etc[17].