Lavatera Blue Bird - Tree Mallow

Lavatera 'Blue Bird' is a new variety full of surprises; first of all, its hibiscus flowers display an astonishing hue for a bushy Lavatera, a light blue-mauve, delicately veined with darker violet. They bloom from summer to autumn if you take care to remove faded flowers.  Flowers appear on the upper branches of the deciduous bush with green-grey foliage. This hardy variety can withstand temperatures down to -10°C/-12°C (10.4°F) and performs well in well-drained soil. Charming and radiant, it elegantly adorns the back of flower beds and can also be planted individually or in a pretty pot.

Lavateras belong to the large family Malvaceae. It is a genus that includes numerous species, some more woody than others which can be annual, biennial, or perennial. They originate from various temperate regions around the globe but are mainly found in Mediterranean climates.

The 'Blue Bird' variety is a recent shrubby hybrid originally from a French nursery. Half-perennial, half-shrub, this plant has a balanced, bushy, and round habit, reaching 1.5 metres (5 feet) in all directions. This abundant and generous small bush produces flowers measuring 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, composed of five slightly separated and bilobed petals, which are an unusual pale blue-mauve shade and veined with violet, and slightly tinged with pink in the centre. These flowers are ephemeral but continuously renew from July to August, or even longer under good growing conditions. The abundant deciduous foliage is composed of palmately lobed, soft-to-the-touch leaves, forming a very soft ensemble in a grey-green shade.

Lavatera 'Blue Bird' is undeniably unique and refined, but its beauty will not overshadow that of any accompanying plants. It will look beautiful in a small informal hedge or in a shrub bed with yellow flowering plants or foliage plants that will enhance it (Buddleia weyeriana Sungold, Cotinus coggygria Golden Spirit, Fremontodendron californicum). It also pairs very well with the light vegetation of Nandina domestica and its varieties, or with pink flowers and purple foliage. It is a full-sun plant that can also tolerate partial shade and performs better in well-drained soil. In the garden, its moderate growth allows it to be planted as a specimen on a patio or to mark an entrance, for example. It also forms a magnificent background in flower beds and goes very well with roses. It combines well with perennial salvias, or with its relatives, the Hollyhocks and other Mallows.