White Musk Mallow (Malva moschata f. alba)

1 well-established plant in a 9cm pot, sent in plastic-free packaging. A beautiful, resilient perennial, prized for its pristine white blooms and versatile, mucilaginous edible foliage.

Perennial | 60/90cm tall | Full sun to partial shade | Edible leaves, flowers, and seeds | Exceptionally high pollen yield and drought-tolerant

White Musk Mallow is a refined, white-flowering form of the native musk mallow, producing deeply lobed, finely cut basal leaves. The entire plant is edible. The young leaves act as an excellent natural thickening agent for soups and stews, while the crisp, pristine white flowers make an elegant, mild-tasting garnish. Even the immature green seed pods, traditionally known as “cheeses,” are fully edible and offer a pleasant, nutty flavour when added to fresh salads.

White Musk Mallow is an exceptionally productive plant. From mid-summer to early autumn, it produces a continuous succession of large, saucer-shaped, musky-scented flowers. Malva moschata is one of the highest-yielding species for pollen production. These open blooms provide a highly accessible, protein-rich resource for a diverse range of foraging insects, particularly bumblebees, hoverflies, and solitary bees. Furthermore, its deep, penetrating taproot system enables it to access water from the subsoil, making the plant remarkably drought-tolerant once established.

In a practical garden setting, this herbaceous perennial requires minimal intervention. Holding an RHS H6 hardiness rating, it will comfortably survive severe UK winters down to -20°C. It thrives in relatively poor, free-draining soils and is highly adaptable to both full sun and partial shade. While individual plants can sometimes be short-lived (typically remaining productive for 3 to 4 years), it produces abundant seed and will readily self-sow in dry borders, gravel gardens, or wildflower meadows. This gentle self-seeding habit ensures a continuous, low-effort supply of elegant blooms and edible greens year after year without becoming invasive.

Delivery Information

All plants are carefully packed and sent in plastic-free packaging to protect both the plant and the environment. Plants are dispatched promptly so they arrive fresh, healthy, and ready to plant.

We ship orders using a tracked 24-hour delivery service, helping to minimise time in transit and reduce stress on the plant. Orders are packed by hand at the nursery, and we aim to dispatch early in the week to avoid delays over weekends.

If you have any questions about delivery timing or combining orders, please get in touch before ordering and we will be happy to help.

To find out more about other plants for your garden visit – https://dyfiplants.substack.com