Which Mallow Should You Grow? A Gardener’s Guide to the Malvaceae Family

If you’ve ever searched for growing advice on "mallow plants", you’ve probably noticed how confusing it can be. The name is used for many different flowers—and even a few weeds. That’s because mallow is a family name, not just one plant.

The mallow family (Malvaceae) includes hibiscus, hollyhocks, okra, and marshmallow plants. These plants often share soft leaves and large, hibiscus-like blooms, but they are not the same species, and they grow very differently. 

When we publish planting and growing information for seeds we sell at Sow Right Seeds, we want to get it right. And that means making sure we’re talking about the right plant.

Some things are pretty simple. A carrot is a carrot. But when you get into flowers and herbs, there is often a lot of confusion. The problem stems from differences across localities and historical names. It helps to identify the plant and use its Latin name correctly. This is especially important when discussing medicinal plants. Some are edible and have specific uses. Others look very similar but are not edible. 

At Sow Right Seeds, we use botanical names to help eliminate this confusion. Understanding the difference between Lavatera, Malva, Hibiscus, and Althaea helps you choose the right seeds for your garden and provide the appropriate growing conditions.

This guide breaks down the most common mallow plants, explains how mallow naming works, and helps you decide which mallow you should grow.

There are thousands of plant species in the Malvaceae family. We can’t list them all here, but we'll highlight a few of the most common ones you’ll see in seed catalogs and plant nurseries. 

This is the plant most gardeners are looking for when they want a fast-growing, showy summer flower.

• Grown as an annual

• Large, funnel-shaped blooms in pink, rose, and white

• Easy to grow from seed

• Blooms quickly and abundantly

• Common in cottage-style gardens

This is the one most often sold as annual mallow in seed catalogs.

Despite the name, this is not an ornamental flower but is considered a native plant in many areas.

• Low-growing and spreading

• Often considered a weed

• “Cheeseweed” comes from the seed pods, which look like little wheels of cheese

• Grown more for edible or medicinal use than for beauty

These are true Malva species. They do grow well in their native habitat, but some gardeners consider them a weed and struggle to get rid of their long tap roots.

Tree mallow is related to annual mallow, but grows very differently.

• Woody or shrub-like perennial

• Best for mild climates

• Much larger and longer-lived

• Tall, architectural plant

• Perennial in mild climates

Despite the name, it is not a tree, but it does have woody stalks.

This is a hardy hibiscus, not a lavatera.

• Perennial plant

• Massive dinner-plate-sized flowers

• Needs more space and patience

• Hardy perennial hibiscus

• Huge flowers (often 8–12 inches across)

• Native to wetlands in North America

This is not in the same genus as Malva or Lavatera, but it’s still in the same Malvaceae family.

This is the original marshmallow plant.

• Grown for medicinal roots

• Upright perennial with pale pink flowers

• Not typically grown as an ornamental annual

• Thick, mucilaginous root

This is the true marsh mallow plant, historically used to make the original marshmallow confection before gelatin and sugar replaced the root extract.

• Warm-season vegetable

• Edible pods

• Large, hibiscus-like yellow flowers

• Slightly fuzzy leaves and stems

Okra’s flowers look very similar to hibiscus blooms, which is a hallmark of the mallow family.

Start growing Okra from seed.

• Tall, upright flowering plant

• Grown as a biennial or short-lived perennial

• Large, round leaves and showy blooms along tall stalks

Hollyhocks share the same floral structure and leaf texture seen across many mallows.

Learn tips for growing Hollyhock from seed.

• Malvaceae = the plant family name (big umbrella)

• Genus (Malva, Lavatera, Hibiscus, Althaea, etc.) = closely related groups within the family

• Species = the exact plant and botanical name

Common names like mallow, marshmallow, or rose mallow are often applied loosely to very different plants that just happen to look similar—soft leaves, hibiscus-like flowers, and a long history in gardens and herbal medicine.

Once you know this family connection, it becomes easier to spot mallows in the garden. If a plant has hibiscus-style flowers and soft foliage, there’s a good chance it belongs to the Malvaceae family—even if one is grown for flowers and another for food.

At Sow Right Seeds, we sell both Annual Rose Mallow seeds and seeds for the Perennial Marsh Mallow Plant. We also sell hollyhock and okra. Who knew so many garden plants were in the same family?

Annual mallow and marsh mallow plants are often confused, but the difference between these two mallow family plants matters greatly when choosing seeds. They are grown for very different reasons and behave quite differently in the garden.

Choose annual mallow if your goal is big, beautiful flowers with minimal effort.

• Produces large, hibiscus-like blooms

• Grows quickly from seed

• Flowers abundantly in its first season

• Ideal for flower borders, cottage gardens, and pollinator beds

• Immediate gratification

Annual mallow is a purely ornamental plant. It’s best for gardeners who want color, height, and impact without waiting multiple seasons.

Get Annual Rose Mallow growing tips. 

Choose marsh mallow if you’re interested in medicinal herbs or historical plants.

• Grown primarily for its soothing, mucilaginous roots and leaves

• A perennial that returns year after year

• Flowers are attractive but secondary to its herbal use

• Fits well in herbal, medicinal, or naturalized gardens

• Long-term plant worth the space

Marsh mallow plants take longer to mature and are typically harvested after the plant is well established.

Learn more about growing Marshmallow Plants from seed.

The mallow family (Malvaceae) includes a wide range of plants that look similar at first glance but serve very different purposes in the garden. Once you understand how mallows are classified by botanical names, it becomes much easier to identify plants correctly and choose the right seeds.

If a plant is low-growing and weedy, it’s likely a Malva species. If it’s a fast-growing, showy summer flower, it’s probably annual mallow (Lavatera trimestris). Giant, dinner-plate blooms point to rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), while plants grown for soothing, medicinal roots are true marshmallow plants (Althaea officinalis).

Knowing these distinctions helps gardeners avoid confusion, follow the right growing advice, and plant with confidence. Whether you’re growing mallows for ornamental beauty, herbal use, or simple curiosity, checking the botanical name on a seed packet is the most reliable way to ensure success.

At Sow Right Seeds, we offer carefully selected seeds for annual rose mallow, marshmallow plants, hollyhocks, and okra—all members of the mallow family.

Understanding how these plants are related makes it easier to choose the right mallow for your garden and grow it successfully from seed.