Malvaviscus drummondii

Turk's Cap Mallow is an introduced herbaceous perennial in the Mallow Family (MALVACEAE). It is native to Texas and Mexico. In Alabama it can be found in the southern half of the state. Turk's Cap Mallow is often cultivated and persists around old home sites. It also occurs in sandy pine woods, in scrub oak woods, along fence rows, and on dunes. It is a multi-stemmed shrub reaching 4-6 feet in height. It is a colonial plant with stems rooting when they meet the soil. The stems are erect or arching, green in color, and pubescent. Older stems are glabrous with thin, smooth, papery bark. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, ovate in outline, toothed, and 3 lobed. The leaves are pubescent with simple and stellate hairs. Flowers are produced from the leaf axils. Individual flowers are stalked and erect. The calyx is persistent with the lobed united for ½ to 2/3’s of their length. The calyx lobed are recurved. The petals are imbricate and the flowers “remain closed” with the stigma exserted. The fruit is a red, fleshy, berry-like capsule. The fruit are edible. Turk's Cap Mallow is also known as “Snakeweed” in south Alabama where it is thought to repel snakes. Turk's Cap Mallow is widely available from nurseries. It prefers a site with full to partial sun and a well-draining soil. It is drought tolerant and deer resistant. The flowers attract large numbers of butterflies and hummingbirds.—A. Diamond