Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Turk's Cap

Turk's Cap, Malvaviscus drummondii
Turk's cap is a spreading shrub that averages about 1 m (3 ft) in height, but can reach 3 m (9 ft) with red flowers with overlapping petals in summer and fall. It is native along the southern portions of the United States into Mexico, and it can also be found in the West Indies, and Cuba. Turk's cap most often grows along streams, edges of woods, and on limestone slopes in the wild.

One of the flower color variants of Turk's Cap that can be found.
It is an extremely tolerant plant that can grow in full shade and full sun alike, thrive in wet or dry soil, and survive in alkaline or acidic soil. It also has a high heat tolerance, resistance to popular pesticides, and has very few pests issues. Hummingbirds and butterflies are drawn to the nectar, and humans are sometimes drawn to the fruit, flowers, and young leaves of which are all edible.

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