Pollinator plant

Mallow

Malva sylvestris

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Common names

55 names · 36 languages
EnglishYour language
+7 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (35)
Dutch
French
+1 more nameShow fewer names
Arabic
  • خباز شائع[3]
  • خباز مرتفع[3]
  • خبازة برية[3]
Asturian
Bosnian
  • Crni sljez[3]
Bulgarian
  • Горски слез[3]
Catalan
  • Malva comuna[3]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
  • Crni sljez[3]
Czech
  • sléz lesní[3]
Danish
  • Almindelig katost[3]
Estonian
  • mets-kassinaeris[3]
Finnish
  • kiiltomalva[3]
German
Greek
  • Μολόχα[3]
Hebrew
  • חלמית גדולה[3]
Hungarian
  • Erdei mályva[3]
Irish
  • Lus na Meall Muire[3]
Italian
Japanese
  • ウスベニアオイ[3]
Lithuanian
  • Miškinė dedešva[3]
Norwegian
  • legekattost[3]
Polish
  • Ślaz dziki[3]
Portuguese
Romanian
  • Nalbă[3]
  • Nalbă de pădure[3]
Russian
  • Мальва лесная[3]
  • Просвирник лесной[3]
Serbian
  • Црни слез[3]
Slovak
  • slez lesný[3]
Slovenian
  • Gozdni slezenovec[3]
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Ebegümeci[3]
Ukrainian
  • Калачики лісові[3]
Welsh
  • Hocysen hocys[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Malva sylvestris — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • high mallow — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Common Mallow — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Groot kaasjeskruid — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Große Käsepappel — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Wilde Malve — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Cheeses — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • High Malva — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Large flowered mallow — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • malva — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Malva de campo — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • grande mauve — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Mauve des bois — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Mauve sylvestre — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Malva selvatica — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • malva-maior — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
[2] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Malva sylvestris ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Wilde Malve (DE); High Mallow — VernacularName.tsv, line 164364; taxon 3XRCL.
  • Common Mallow (EN); Malvilla (ES); Mauve des bois (FR) — VernacularName.tsv, line 164362; taxon 3XRCL.
  • Garden Mallow — VernacularName.tsv, line 164363; taxon 3XRCL.
[3] Malva sylvestris — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • high mallow — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Common Mallow — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Groot kaasjeskruid — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Große Käsepappel — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Wilde Malve — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Cheeses — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • High Malva — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Large flowered mallow — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • malva — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Malva de campo — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • grande mauve — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Mauve des bois — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Mauve sylvestre — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Malva selvatica — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • malva-maior — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Malva comuna — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Мальва лесная — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Просвирник лесной — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • sléz lesní — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • 歐錦葵 — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Rödmalva — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • ウスベニアオイ — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Almindelig katost — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • mets-kassinaeris — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • חלמית גדולה — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • legekattost — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Горски слез — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • kiiltomalva — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Ślaz dziki — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • malva — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Erdei mályva — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Miškinė dedešva — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Μολόχα — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Crni sljez — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • slez lesný — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • خباز شائع — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • خباز مرتفع — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • خبازة برية — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • 欧锦葵 — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Црни слез — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Калачики лісові — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Ebegümeci — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Gozdni slezenovec — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Nalbă — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Crni sljez — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Lus na Meall Muire — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Nalbă de pădure — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
  • Hocysen hocys — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 56162; Malva sylvestris.
[4] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • common mallow — Page 2, column 2, row top 442 pt; common-name cell after Malva sylvestris.; Malva sylvestris.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Malva sylvestris is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Malvaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Malva sylvestris in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [2]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Medium
Agroforestry database

Complete plant information

Open full plant profile

Structure

Vegetation layer
Herbaceous, Ground cover
Size
Small
Dimensions
0.50 m high × 0.00 m wide
Lifecycle
Perennial

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
4-8
Moisture
Moist
Soil
Sandy, Loamy, Clay
pH
Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Partial shade, Sun

Uses

Edible parts
Leaves, Seed, Flowers, Tea
Functions
Dye, Fibre
Edibility
3 out of 5
Medicinal value
3 out of 5

Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They have a mild and pleasant flavor and are often used in soups as a thickening agent. The young leaves can also serve as a great alternative to lettuce in salads. Unripe seeds can be eaten raw and have a nutty flavor. The flowers are edible and have a delicate taste similar to that of the leaves. They can be added to salads or used as a garnish, making a beautiful addition. Furthermore, the leaves can be used as a replacement for tea.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Malva sylvestris — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 591039; ID 3XRCL; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 591039; ID 3XRCL; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 2, column 2, entry Malva sylvestris (top 442 pt)

    Source checked on .