Gray-green textured foliage, golden flowers, attractive to several species of butterflies, Indian mallow provides great accent for any desert garden
Indian mallow (Abutilon), also known as Desert Abutilon, is a southwestern native that provides color and texture to the desert garden.
There are at least 27 species of Abutilon, most of them in the southwestern United States, and most of them are called Indian mallow.
Various species are native to New Mexico and Arizona, others to Texas and Oklahoma, and still other species are prevalent in all the areas of the southwest.
Growing up to three feet tall, it has grayish-green, heart-shaped leaves and showy gold flowers that bloom in summer.
It makes a great shrub border and can even be used as background for smaller plants. The leaves have a really soft texture. To really enjoy it, plant it next to an outdoor sitting area or patio. With a lot of water, it can grow up to six feet tall and four feet wide. However, two to three feet tall and three feet wide is a more realistic size in a waterwise garden.
Indian mallow loves sun but it will do well in partial shade. It will also do well in reflected sunlight. It prefers sandy soils and pH neutral soils, but will do well in almost any medium.
As noted, Indian mallow needs little water so it qualifies as a xeriscape plant. In some areas Indian mallow is evergreen, but in colder regions, it is deciduous. Cutting it back in winter will encourage bushy growth in spring.
The genus name is Abutilon, but there are quite a few species and sub-species growing in the southwest. Most are called Indian mallow.
This plant is a larval host for several butterfly species, including the common streaky skipper (Celotes nessus) and the white scrub hairstreak (Strymon albata).
Deer and some livestock (sheep and goats) eat the foliage, and the seeds are a food source for quail and doves.
Tough fibers from the stems have been used for ropes and for weaving.
Growing Indian mallow
The plant will flower all during the summer, and will produce seeds during that time. Plants can be grown from seeds or from cuttings.
Sow the seeds in a growing medium and after germination, transplant directly into the ground. Amend the soil if you must, but since the plant is native to dry, barren soils, amendments are unnecessary.
Indian mallow can also be grown from cuttings. Take the cuttings from new growth in spring.
Some species do better in elevations below 2,500 feet, while others grow well above that.
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