How to Grow Lavatera
Lavatera At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -12°C
Plant Family
Malvaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Sow about 1 week after your last spring frost, right where the plants will flower, since lavatera grows big fast and dislikes being moved. Push the seeds 0.5 cm deep and keep the soil damp, and they sprout in 7 to 14 days. Thin them (pull the extras so each has room) to 30 cm apart.
Lavatera, also called annual mallow, grows into a big, bushy plant covered in pink or white trumpet flowers from midsummer to frost. It flowers about 60 days after sowing and needs very little care once it gets going.
When To Start
First chance to plant
7 Days After Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Lavatera?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Lavatera Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Lavatera Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow lavatera outdoors right where it will flower
1 week after your last frost· every year
Snip faded lavatera flowers to keep it blooming
10 weeks after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your lavatera seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Your lavatera is growing fast! Give it full sun and water at the base during dry spells.
About 34 days after you plant it
Flowers are on the way! Snip off faded blooms to keep new ones coming.
About 54 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your lavatera.
About 60 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Lavatera's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 7–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Plant lavatera in full sun, at least 6 hours a day, for the most flowers.
- 2It likes ordinary soil that drains well, and skip the extra compost, because rich soil gives lots of leaves and fewer flowers.
- 3Water once a week until the plants are about knee high, then only in long dry spells.
- 4Skip feeding, since lavatera flowers best when it is a little hungry.
- 5Push in a stake for tall kinds in windy spots so they do not flop.
- 6Wash aphids off with a spray of water, and leave room between plants so air flows and the leaves stay healthy.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~60
Days to Maturity
150 cm
Mature Height
120 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Cut flowers at full bloom
How to Harvest
- 1Cut stems for a vase when the first buds on them are just opening.
- 2Cut in the cool of the morning and put the stems in water right away.
- 3Snip off faded flowers every few days to keep new ones coming until frost.
- 4Leave the last flowers of the season on the plant if you want to save seed.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Lavatera from a variety that is not a hybrid grows much like the parent, but hybrid F1 seeds will not, and different colours cross through bees if they grow side by side. Leave a few faded flowers on the plant until the round, flat seed pods behind them turn brown and dry. Pick the pods and break them open to free the small seeds. Let the seeds dry a few more days, then store them in a labelled envelope somewhere cool, dark and dry, where they keep about 3 years.
Seed Production
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