JUNE TURK S CAP PLANT OF THE MONTH. npsot.org. Flaigg, Norman G., Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center"

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1 JUNE PLANT OF THE MONTH TURK S CAP npsot.org Flaigg, Norman G.,

2 Common Names: Turkscap, Drummond's turkscap, Drummond turkscap, Wax mallow, Drummond's wax mallow, Drummond wax mallow, Red mallow, Texas mallow, Mexican apple, Sleeping hibiscus, Bleeding hearts, Manzanilla Malvaceae (Mallow Family) Synonym(s): Malvaviscus drummondii Northington, David K.,

3 and NPINhttp://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=RACO3 and NPIN USDA Symbol: MAARD USDA Native Status: L48 (N) Found in: USA: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, SC, TX Native Distribution: Texas Coastal Plains 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.

4 Duration: Perennial Habit: Shrub Leaf Retention: Deciduous Leaf Arrangement: Alternate Leaf Complexity: Simple Leaf Venation: Palmate Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual Size Notes: 2-3 feet, can reach 9 feet Leaf: Light to medium green. Some cultivars have variegated leaves of white and green. Flower: Flowers 2 to 3 inches Fruit: Dark red 1 inch Mathews, Ray,

5 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. Marcus, Joseph A.,

6 Water Use: Medium Light Requirement: Part Shade, Shade Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist Soil Description: Sandy, loamy, clay, and limestone soils. Moist, well-drained, woodland soils best. Conditions Comments: Drought tolerant. Prefers partially shady sites. Under cultivation, Turk s cap will adapt to and thrive in many different sites, including full sun and heavy soil. Strong sun can cause its leaves to become rougher, smaller, darker, and puckered. Wasowski, Sally and Andy,

7 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, butterflies, moths, and insects Fruit: birds and mammals Use Food: The fruit is edible either raw or cooked, tasting similar to apple lending to its Spanish name, Manzanilla (Little Apple). Conspicuous Flowers: yes Interesting Foliage: yes Attracts: Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds Nectar Source: yes Deer Resistant: Moderate Mathews, Ray,

8 Maintenance: To keep at a desirable height and shape, prune back after a couple years. To keep it waist-high in the Southeast, cut it back to 5 inches after the last frost. Can be kept cut back to give the appearance of a ground cover, though it does not spread by rhizomes or stolons but by layering. Will bloom even when cut short. Large clumps of Turk s cap may easily be separated in early spring and transplanted to a new site. Be sure to water well. Schwartzman, Steven,

9 Propagation Material: Root Division, Seeds, Softwood Cuttings 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. Flaigg, Norman G.,

10 Propagation Material: Seeds 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 Marcus, Joseph A.,

11 plant=maard and NPIN Order seed of this species from Native American Seed and help support the Wildflower Center. Native to Brazoria, Chambers, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties

12 CREDITS Our thanks to Sally and Andy Wasowski for providing much of the source material for this list through their book- Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region, NPIN (Native Plant Information Network) And A CHECKLIST OF THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF THE HOUSTON AREA By Larry E. Brown. Spring Branch Science Center Herbarium(SBSC) 8856 Westview Drive Houston, Texas 77055, 2014 The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center s Native Plant Information Network (NPIN) USDA/NRCS Plant Database Fact Sheets and Plant Guides: factsheett Credit page photograph: Fannon, Carolyn, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center