Venice mallow

Encyclopedia Article

Venice mallow             Hibiscus trionum L.

Family: Malvaceae (mallow family)
Life cycle: Annual
Native status: Introduced as an ornamental
Habitat: Crop fields

General description: Spreading to erect plant reaching heights of 1.5 ft. First two leaves are round with toothed margin; later leaves are deeply three-lobed with each lobe having rounded teeth. Flower petals are up to 1.5 in long; white to pale yellow with purple base. Seed capsule surrounded by a membranous bladder.

Key ID traits: Deeply lobed leaves; pale yellow to off-white flower petals with purple center.

Similar species: Seedlings of velvetleaf and Venice mallow are similar, but cotyledons of Venice mallow are glossier and more round than the heart-shaped cotyledons of velvetleaf.

Miscellaneous: Often referred to as Venus mallow. Introduced from Europe for use in flower gardens. Flower petals are short-lived, giving the plant an alternate name of ‘flower of an hour’.


Venice mallow leaves have 3 to 5 deep lobes that have smaller lobes. First pair of leaves usually are circular in shape.


Flowers have five cream colored petals with dark purple base. Petals are short-lived; another name for the plant is flower of an hour.
 

 


Translucent sepals with green veins form a bladder-like structure around the seed capsule.  

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