| Virginia saltmarsh mallow
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| Kosteletzkya pentacarpos
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| Malvaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wet wildflower gardens. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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| Availability: |
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Available at native plant nurseries in northeast and central Florida. |
| Description: |
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Medium to large herbaceous wildflower, becoming woody at the base. |
| Height: |
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Typically 2-6 feet in height. Taller than broad. |
| Growth Rate: |
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Fast. |
| Range: |
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Eastern and southern United States west to Texas and south to the Monroe County Keys (where very rare); Cuba, Europe. |
| Habitats: |
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Marshes and wet thickets. |
| Soils: |
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Wet to moist, moderately well-drained to poorly drained soils, with or without humus. |
| Nutritional Requirements: |
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Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive. |
| Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Moderate; tolerates brackish water or occasional inundation by salt water. |
| Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation. |
| Drought Tolerance: |
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Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought. |
| Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
| Flower Color: |
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Pink. |
| Flower Characteristics: |
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Showy. |
| Flowering Season: |
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Spring-fall. |
| Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous capsule. |
| Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Nectar source for butterflies. |
| Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seed. |
| Comments: |
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An attractive shrubby wildflower for wet spots in the garden. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page. |
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Susan Lerner, cultivated at Pan's Garden, Town of Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
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