Lavatera CHAMALLOW - Tree mallow

Lavatera 'Inovera' or Chamallow is a particularly compact and floriferous shrubby mallow that blooms in early summer. It quickly forms a dense bush, as wide as it is tall, on which numerous intensely pink and truly luminous flowers bloom. Its attractive light green velvety foliage remains appealing throughout the season. It is an undemanding plant, quite charming in a shrub border or a container on the terrace.

Lavatera 'Inovera' is a French horticultural selection from INRA dating back to 2002. Lavateras belong to the large family of Malvaceae, they are cousins of hollyhocks and roses. It is a genus that includes many species, some more woody than others, and can be annual, biennial or perennial. They are native to various temperate regions of the globe but are mainly found in Mediterranean climates. Shrubby mallows are generally quite short-lived, living only 3 or 4 years, sometimes longer when regularly pruned, but they easily multiply by cuttings.

The 'Chamallow' mallow is a shrubby hybrid. The plant has a rounded and branched bushy habit from the base, as wide as it is tall. It reaches an average of 1.35 m in all directions within two years, up to 1.50 m depending on how severely it is pruned in early spring. This abundant shrub produces 4-5 cm diameter flowers, with single cups composed of rich, yet vibrant pink petals, veined with a darker pink. These flowers are ephemeral but numerous, and they continuously bloom between June and July. The foliage consists of rounded, 3 to 5 cm diameter, slightly velvety, fairly light green leaves. This mallow can withstand temperatures down to -10°/-12°C in a healthy and well-drained soil. Young plants tolerate frost better than mature specimens.

The 'Chamallow' shrubby mallow charms with its simplicity and beautiful pink flowering. In the garden or on the terrace. It looks beautiful in a border with lavenders, rockroses, and dwarf abelias. It also pairs well with white, pink, or mauve ground cover roses. It is a full-sun plant that tolerates partial shade in hot climates and shows more longevity in well-drained soil. It makes a romantic combination with sages, or with its annual cousins, the Malopes (Malope 'Glacier Fruits Mixed') and the Mallow.