Kosteletzkya pentacarpos / Seashore Mallow (Mallow Family)

Sort of like hibiscus…but not. A late summer into early fall bloomer with smaller, but more numerous light pink flowers that produce abundant nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. Leaves are a soft green with a silvery-gray tent, and are much smaller than most hibiscus, giving this Mallow a more delicate garden appearance. Prefers full sun and moist to wet soils, but will tolerate average soils if watered during periods of excessive drought. Dies back to the ground each winter–thick stems can be cut back to varying lengths for stem nesting insects or all the way to the ground.

Blooms: Pink, 5-6 weeks, Sept-Oct
Leaves: Greenish-gray, 3-6”, triangular, coarsely toothed, hairy, simple
Height:4-5’ 
Space: 3-4’
Soil: Avg, Moist-wet
Exposure:  Full sun
Fauna: Hummingbirds, butterflies, long-tongue bees
Seeds: Hard, angled seeds packed, ring-like in capsule
Deer Resistance: Moderate
Zone: 6-9
Native Status: NC Native, common in the Coastal Plain
Provenance: NC Ecotype, seed grown