Anisodontea Carnival Lights Gala - Cape mallow

Anisodontea 'IB 609-3' Carnival Lights Gala is a small decorative shrub prized for its particularly generous and long-lasting flowering. From June until October, it is ceaselessly covered in bright pink flowers whose red heart stretches into fine veins along the petals. Its numerous upright stems, adorned with medium to deep green foliage, offer an elegant contrast that highlights the corollas. Adapted to the warm, dry climates of the south, this variety is suitable for both borders and small gardens, rarely exceeding 1 metre in height. Its compact habit also allows for container cultivation, practical for overwintering when temperatures drop below -7 °C.

Belonging to the Malvaceae family, rich with over 240 genera ranging from our wild mallows to African baobabs, including tropical or hardy Hibiscus and Lavateras, Anisodontea is native to South Africa, hence its common name, Cape Mallow. The genus comprises about twenty evergreen species. Its name, derived from Greek and meaning "unequal teeth", refers to the irregular lobes of its leaves.
Integrated into the horticultural series "Carnival Lights", the selection 'IB 710-1' Celebration is distinguished by a flowering period that extends throughout the summer and often longer in favourable climates. It forms a dense clump 80 cm to 1 m tall and about 50 to 60 cm wide, and responds very well to pruning, which stimulates both branching and the production of new flowers. Its numerous, slender stems bear deep green, satiny leaves, most often trilobed. The flowers, typical of Malvaceae with their five slightly overlapping petals, measure 4 to 5 cm in diameter. Their bright pink hue is crossed by red veins, while a central red spot intensifies the heart. This subtle bicolour combination gives the plant a romantic and luminous appearance. Well distributed over the foliage, the flowers ensure a continuous decorative effect, ideal for a flowering container in regions with cold winters, during which the plant must be protected in a bright, cool location. On the Atlantic coast and especially in the South, it thrives in the ground, in full sun, and tolerates drought very well, although some summer watering encourages even more abundant flowering.

A true gem for southern gardens, this South African variety tolerates both intense heat and brief frosts around -7 to -8 °C, provided it is planted in well-drained soil and sheltered from the wind. It harmonises beautifully with other drought-resistant plants to create a Mediterranean-inspired border. Plant alongside it Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus, a creeping Rosemary with a very architectural habit whose bluish flowers will bloom on either side of your Anisodontea's flowering period. Convolvulus cneorum, with its silvery foliage and white trumpet flowers, will also be a good border companion in regions with moderate winters. In colder areas, you can grow Cape Mallow Carnival Lights Gala as an orangery plant, alongside compact container-grown citrus trees such as Calamondin or other shrubs for mild climates like Solanum rantonnetii.