Malva verticillata
Chinese Mallow
an annual or biennial member of the Malva genus in the family Malvaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
When grown on nitrogen rich soils (and particularly when these are cultivated inorganically), the plant tends to concentrate high levels of nitrates in its leaves[20]. The leaves are perfectly wholesome at all other times.
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves - raw or cooked[8][17][18][2][7]. The leaves of well-grown plants can be 15cm or more across. They have a mild and very pleasant flavour that makes an excellent addition to salads[K]. We use them as a tasty alternative to the lettuce[K]. Young seeds - raw or cooked. Used when green and immature[21]. A pleasant nutty taste but the seed is too small and fiddly for most people to want to harvest[K].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The seed contains mucilage, polysaccharides and flavonoids[15]. It is demulcent, diuretic, emollient, galactogogue and laxative[3][6][10]. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are considered to have a sweet and astringent taste plus a heating potency[13]. They are used in the treatment of renal disorders, the retention of fluids, frequent thirst and diarrhoea[13]. The root is used to cause vomiting in the treatment of whooping cough[12]. The leaves and stems are said to be digestive[12]. They are given to women in the advanced stages of pregnancy[12].
- Product or use
- Demulcent
- Product or use
- Digestive
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Emollient
- Product or use
- Galactogogue
- Product or use
- Laxative
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Cream, yellow and green dyes can be obtained from the plant and the seed heads[4].
- Product or use
- Dye
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia. A casual, occasionally established in Britain.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 6+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow early spring in situ. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
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[9]. This species is cultivated as a salad crop in parts of Europe[5][16][17]. There is at least one named variety:- 'Crispa' has more tender leaves than the species with curled leaf edges that make it look more attractive in salads. This species was one of the earliest domesticated crops in China, it has been in cultivation for well over 2,500 years[7]. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[11]. Plants are prone to infestation by rust fungus[9].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218
? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00
Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants Tibetan Medical Publications, India 1994-00-00 ISBN 81-900489-0-2
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila 1998-00-00 ISBN 92 9061 120 0
? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00
Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00
Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291
Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9