Lavatera or Hatma

Family Malvaceae. Name: the genus was named by Carl Linnaeus in honor of the Lavater brothers, well-known physicians and naturalists from Zurich.

Description of Lavatera: the genus includes 25 species distributed in the Mediterranean, Central Europe, Central Asia, North America and Australia. Annual and perennial rhizomatous herbaceous plants, sometimes shrubs. Leaves arranged alternately, mostly lobed, covered with stellate hairs. Flowers large, pink, purple or yellow, solitary or several in the axils of bracts, overall forming raceme- or spike-like inflorescences at the ends of the stems. Up to 250 seeds per 1 g. Two species are used in ornamental gardening.

Native range of Lavatera - Southern Europe, Syria, North Africa. An annual growing as a vigorous, branching plant up to 120 cm tall. Lower leaves rounded or heart-shaped, coarsely toothed at the margin; upper leaves three- to five-lobed. Flowers solitary, funnel-shaped, up to 10 cm in diameter, located in the leaf axils, most densely in the upper part of the stem. Peduncles of the lower flowers are longer than those of the upper ones. Corolla five-lobed, white, pink or carmine in color. Lavatera blooms abundantly from July until autumn. In cultivation since 1620. Up to 150 seeds per 1 g. The cultivar 'Pink Beauty' is characterized by pale-pink flowers. On the almost white corollas a lacy pattern of darker veins stands out clearly, leading to a purple-throated throat. Average plant height is 60 cm. In the cultivar 'Silver Cup' the flowers are bright pink with dark-red veins. Average plant height is 70 cm. Lavatera occurs in the central regions of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia, Central Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. A vigorous perennial, strongly branching plant up to 200 cm tall with rounded or heart-shaped, stiffly pubescent, gray-green leaves; lower leaves lobed, upper leaves entire. Flowers pink, solitary, on long peduncles, up to 10 cm in diameter, located in the leaf axils. Blooms from July until autumn. In cultivation since 1588.

Site: light-loving, cold-hardy and drought-tolerant.

Soil: undemanding, but they grow best in loose, not too fertile soil. In this case their shoots do not become excessively leggy, and flowering is abundant and intense.

Care for Lavatera: Lavatera does not tolerate waterlogging, but during prolonged drought plants are watered regularly and abundantly. Stems of tall varieties are tied to stakes. To stimulate the formation of new buds, spent shoots are cut back. Fertilization is required only on very poor soils, no more often than every 4–8 weeks.

Diseases and pests: affected by rust. Yellow or brown spots form on the underside of the leaf. Remove affected parts of the plant; with severe infection the entire plant should be destroyed. Do not plant Lavatera in the same place for several years.

Propagation: by sowing seeds directly into the open ground early in spring. Seedlings appear after two weeks at 15°C. Young plants are set 25–30 cm apart.

Uses of Lavatera: very effective in group plantings and mixed borders. This magnificent plant with large flowers is usually planted in flower beds with bright annuals, where it always attracts the attention of anyone nearby. Flowering shoots can be cut and used in bouquets.

Companions: pairs well with species bearing purple and blue flowers (salvia, verbena, delphinium); attractive in plantings with flowering tobacco, irises and roses.