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Northington, David K.

Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii (Torr. & Gray) Schery

Turk's cap or Turkscap, Drummond's turkscap, Wax mallow, Drummond wax-mallow, Red mallow, Texas mallow, Mexican apple, Manzanilla, Sleeping hibiscus, Bleeding hearts

Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

Synonyms: Malvaviscus drummondii

USDA Symbol: maard

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

This spreading shrub, often as broad as high, grows 2-3 ft., sometimes reaching 9 ft. Bright-red, pendent, hibiscus-like flowers never fully open, their petals overlapping to form a loose tube with the stamen column protruding.

This spreading shrub, often as broad as high, grows 2-3 ft., sometimes reaching 9 ft. Bright-red, pendent, hibiscus-like flowers never fully open, their petals overlapping to form a loose tube with the stamen column protruding, said to resemble a Turkish turban, hence its most common name: Turkscap. Especially useful in very shady situations.

The variety name of this plant is named for Thomas Drummond, (ca. 1790-1835), naturalist, born in Scotland, around 1790. In 1830 he made a trip to America to collect specimens from the western and southern United States. In March, 1833, he arrived at Velasco, Texas to begin his collecting work in that area. He spent twenty-one months working the area between Galveston Island and the Edwards Plateau, especially along the Brazos, Colorado, and Guadalupe rivers. His collections were the first made in Texas that were extensively distributed among the museums and scientific institutions of the world. He collected 750 species of plants and 150 specimens of birds. Drummond had hoped to make a complete botanical survey of Texas, but he died in Havana, Cuba, in 1835, while making a collecting tour of that island.

 

From the Image Gallery

View herbarium specimen from Harry T. Cliffe Bexar Regional Herbarium.

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Palmate
Size Class: 3-6 ft.
Leaf Venation: Palmately Veined
Size Notes: 2-9
Leaf Color: Light to medium green. Some cultivars have variegated leaves of white and green.
Flower Size: 2 to 3 inches
Fruit Length: 1 inch
Fruit Color: Dark red

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Red
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov
Bloom Notes: Red flowers usually are produced in showy profusion during hot weather at the end of summer and early fall. White-flowered cultivars have been produced.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MS , SC , TX
Native Distribution: S.c. Texas and adjacent Mexico, east to Florida and Cuba, north to Arkansas and South Carolina.
Native Habitat: Found along streams, on the edges of woods, and on wooded limestone slopes and ledges.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Dry
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Cold Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Sandy, loamy, clay, and limestone soils. Moist, well-drained, woodland soils best.
Conditions Comments: Drought tolerant. Prefers sandy and partially shady sites. Under cultivation, Turk’s cap will adapt to and thrive in many different sites, including full sun and heavier soil, though unremitting sun will cause its leaves to become rougher, smaller, and darker.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Turk’s cap is a good ornamental for shady sites. Cultivars have been selected for white blooms and variegated foliage.
Use Wildlife: Nectar-hummingbirds, Nectar-butterflies, Nectar-moths, Nectar-insects, Fruit-birds, Fruit-mammals
Use Food: The fruit is edible either raw or cooked, tasting rather like apple, hence its Spanish name, Manzanilla (Little Apple).
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds , Hummingbirds , Butterflies
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: Moderate

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings , Root Division
Description: Turk’s cap will germinate promptly from fresh, untreated seeds planted outside after danger of frost is past. Germination of Turk’s cap is inhibited by cold temperatures. Cover the seeds no deeper than 1/4 - 1/2 inches. Turk’s cap is also propagated easily from softwood cuttings. These cuttings should be 4 – 6 inches long with leaves from the bottom halves removed and treated with rooting hormone. Large clumps of Turk’s cap may easily be separated in early spring and transplanted to a new site. Be sure to water well.
Seed Collection: Collect the seeds as soon as the fruit turns ripe. Spread the fruit on screens to dry and separate. After a few days, the pulp will shrivel and may easily be rubbed off the seeds.
Seed Treatment: After thoroughly drying, dust the seeds with an insecticide and store in ventilated containers at room temperature. Seeds stored for long periods of time should be refrigerated in sealed containers.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: To keep at a desirable height and shape, prune back after a couple years. Can be cut back to give the appearance of a ground cover, though it doesnt spread by either rhizomes or stolons but by layering. Will bloom even when cut short.
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Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: Hello, I am a chef from Buenos Aires Argentina visiting Austin, Texas and would like to learn about native, edible plants in the region. Please let me know if there are any native, edible plants and if they grow wild, I can harvest them myself, or if there is a place I can purchase them. thanks, salud!!
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Question: Is there a native Texas plant that would be suited for an indoor application, such as large planters in a lobby space?
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Question: I have a large live oak (actually several) in my front yard, which basically puts the beds at the foundation of my house in full shade. I tore out the builder-boxwoods and privets, hoping to plant something that would provide some interest. I'm having an awful time getting anything to grow there. Pigeonberries just died. Barbados cherries are spindly with yellowish leaves, beautybush just has 2 or 3 long branches sticking straight up, even the turk's caps look anemic. I've tried snapdragon vine and bleeding hearts and neither took hold. There are also some spindly roses in the bed that survive and flower occasionally. The soil is very rocky and I'm not sure what to do to amend it. Am I watering too much (doubtful) or too little? Should I just build up the edges of the bed and fill it with topsoil? I really want to xeriscape, because I don't want to have to spend every weekend babying my garden. HELP!
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Question: What ornamental plant will do well under Live Oak trees?
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Question: Hi! I have one (big!) bed in on the front of my house. Due to the way the house/motorcourt is built, that area (when it rains as much as it did last year!) doesn't drain well. I now have to replace some of my 'back ground' bedding plants. I am looking for something that grows 6-8 feet, and is evergreen. That part of the bed is in shade in the morning, but receives afternoon sun (not direct sun, however). It would also be good if it didn't require much water, as we are trying (very hard) to limit watering (for ecological reasons). All other plants (that survived) are native Texas plants. Bonus points if it has some time of color (berries, flowers, or changing leaves). I hope I haven't asked for too much!
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From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Native Plant Society of Texas - Fredericksburg, TX
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski and Wasowski
Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
* Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) Diggs, G. M.; B. L. Lipscomb; B. O'Kennon; W. F...
Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
* Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

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Additional resources

USDA: Find Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-05-14
Research By: RSB, TWC Staff

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