Tree mallow

Malva arborea

Layer 3 · Shrubs
Edible companion

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Short-lived, robust and fast-growing shrubby mallow, common in coastal areas. The young leaves and flowers are edible and mucilaginous, used in salads and cooked dishes. In the food forest it occupies the shrub layer, produces a lot of biomass and attracts pollinators with its prolonged flowering.

It can be planted now — September is one of the best months.

See which trees tree mallow grows well with

These trees share this species' soil and climate — the pairing is inferred from conditions, not from a guild we have already seen.

Cork oak

No account needed.

Needs

Water: Low
Light: Full sun
Size: Shrub up to 2 m
Mature diameter: 1.2 m
Soils: Loam, Sandy, Limestone
Climates: Hot, dry Mediterranean, Atlantic coast

Calendar

January
February
March — Planting
April — Harvest — Planting
May — Harvest
June — Harvest
July
August
September — Planting
October — Planting
November
December

Harvest
Planting

Medicinal use: The young leaves are edible and can be used in soups or as a spinach substitute, as well as having traditional emollient properties.

Where to buy

Central trees worth considering

May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.

Cork oak

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.