Elegant Mallow Plant Care

Elegant Mallow (Anisodontea elegans) belongs to the Malvaceae family within the Anisodontea genus. Elegant Mallow is native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. Elegant Mallow is also known as Cape Mallow.

Elegant Mallow displays an upright, bushy shrub growth habit, reaching up to 3 ft tall with a spread of approximately 2 ft. Elegant Mallow produces showy, cup-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, or white.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Elegant Mallow every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Elegant Mallow thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Anisodontea elegans tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. Elegant Mallow prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining, loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Good drainage is essential for Elegant Mallow to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Elegant Mallow every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining, loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Elegant Mallow is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Elegant Mallow can spread to about 2 ft (0.6 m) and reach about 3 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 2 ft (0.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Elegant Mallow while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Elegant Mallow is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Elegant Mallow can be propagated through softwood cuttings, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to cape mallow plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Elegant Mallow is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Elegant Mallow grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Elegant Mallow is native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. In cooler regions, grow Elegant Mallow as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.