Lavatera
Lavatera is a flower in the Malvaceae family. It grows best in full sun with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 2-13. Plants reach maturity about 63–70 days after planting and sit about 12 inches apart.
Varieties
1 from True Leaf Market · sorted by days to maturity▸Rose Mallow63–70 days
Non-GMO; Container; Annual
Rose Mallow is an annual mallow (Lavatera trimestris) that produces large, satiny, hibiscus-like blooms 3 to 4 inches across in shades of pink and white, often with deeper veining. Fast-growing and free-flowering from midsummer until frost, plants form upright, bushy mounds. It blooms best in full sun and is well suited to borders, cottage gardens, and cut arrangements.
View on True Leaf Market ↗
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space lavatera about 12 in apart — that fits 1 plant in each 1-foot square (1×1). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your lavatera planting
Add lavatera to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations
When to feed, prune & water
Attract beneficial insects and protect pollinators
Protection- Routine carePlant insectary flowers and tolerate light pestsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Grow a diversity of flowering plants (including small-flowered umbels and asters) to feed predators and parasitoids, and tolerate low pest numbers so natural enemies have prey to stick around.
- Routine careNever spray open bloomsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Avoid insecticides on flowering plants and apply any needed sprays in the evening when pollinators aren't active, and favor selective products over broad-spectrum ones to spare bees and beneficials.
Mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture
Mulch- Routine careApply organic mulch around plantsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Spread a few inches of straw, shredded leaves, or compost around established plants (keeping it off stems) to hold soil moisture, suppress weeds, and moderate soil temperature; wait until soil has warmed for heat-loving crops.
Clean up debris and sanitize at season end
SanitationUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careRemove spent plants and fallen debrisstrong evidence — extension confidence
Pull and clear old plants, dropped fruit, and leaf litter at season end, since many pests and diseases overwinter in this debris; dispose of diseased material rather than composting it.
- Routine careClean tools, stakes, and cagesmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Wash and sanitize stakes, cages, and tools that touched diseased plants before storing or reusing them to avoid carrying pathogens into next season.
Harden off seedlings
ProtectionUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careGradually expose plants to the outdoors· every 1 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Starting about two weeks before transplanting, set seedlings outside in a sheltered, shady spot for a few hours and lengthen their time and sun exposure each day, avoiding windy days, to prevent transplant shock.
- Routine careEase back on water and transplant on a mild daystrong evidence — extension confidence
Water a little less during hardening (without letting plants wilt) to toughen growth, then transplant in late afternoon or on a cool, cloudy, calm day.
Something looks wrong?
Describe what you see on your lavateraand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.
Hollyhock rust
Diseasemoderate- CulturalRemove infected leaves and spent stalksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Pick off spotted leaves through the season and cut plants to the soil line after flowering, bagging all debris (don't compost). Pull nearby mallow weeds, which host the same rust.
- CulturalWater at the base and space for airflowmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Avoid wetting the foliage; use drip or water early so leaves dry fast, and give plants room for good air movement to slow new infections.
- ChemicalProtectant fungicide - label use only· every 2 wks · ~8 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Where rust returns severely every year, a labeled fungicide (e.g. myclobutanil) from early in the season can protect new growth. Follow the label.
Japanese beetles
Pestmoderate- CulturalHandpick into soapy water· every 1 days · ~4 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
In early morning when beetles are sluggish, knock them into a bucket of soapy water; daily removal also reduces the scent that draws in more beetles. Skip the lure traps, which tend to attract more beetles than they catch.
- CulturalCover plants past bloommoderate evidence — extension confidence
On crops that have finished flowering and set fruit, drape a row cover or netting to keep beetles off without blocking pollination during bloom.
Spider mites
Pestmoderate- CulturalHose down and raise humidity· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Mites thrive in hot, dry, dusty conditions. Spray foliage (especially undersides) with water to dislodge them and reduce dust.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap or horticultural oil - label use only· every 5 days · ~2 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Apply to undersides per label; mites resist many products, so soaps/oils are preferred. Not in extreme heat.
Whiteflies
Pestmoderate- CulturalRemove infested leaves and hose off· every 4 daysmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Pick off and discard heavily infested lower leaves and rinse colonies off undersides with a strong spray of water; yellow sticky cards help monitor numbers.
- OrganicApply a labeled soap or oil· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Apply a labeled insecticidal soap or neem oil per the label, covering leaf undersides; these reduce but won't eliminate whiteflies, so repeat as needed.
Aphids
Pestlow- CulturalBlast off with water· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Knock colonies off with a strong jet of water in the morning; repeat every few days. Light infestations rarely need more.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For persistent colonies apply insecticidal soap to undersides per label. Avoid open flowers.