Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Shrub
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade Partial or Dappled Shade Partial Shade to Full Shade Full Shade
Water Preferences:	Wet Wet Mesic Mesic Dry Mesic Dry
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 7b -15 °C (5 °F) to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
Plant Height:	3 to 6 feet
Plant Spread:	3 to 4 feet
Leaves:	Deciduous
Fruit:	Showy Edible to birds
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Red
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Late spring or early summer Summer Late summer or early fall Fall Late fall or early winter
Foliage Mound Height:	3 to 6 feet
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic
Uses:	Salad greens Cooked greens Will Naturalize
Edible Parts:	Leaves Fruit Flowers
Eating Methods:	Tea Raw Cooked
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Birds Butterflies Hummingbirds
Resistances:	Deer Resistant
Propagation: Seeds:	Suitable for wintersowing
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Tip Layering Division
Awards and Recognitions:	Texas Superstar®

Common names

Turk's Cap
Drummond's Turkscap
Wax Mallow
Red Mallow
Texas Mallow

Botanical names

Accepted: Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Synonym: Malvaviscus drummondii

Photo Gallery

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2016-10-05
#Pollination

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2016-11-06

Uploaded by dave

Location: Wood County, Texas
Date: 2019-10-24
with a friend

Uploaded by SunriseSide

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2019-10-20

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-07-29
Mexican Apple 005

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Uploaded by aikenforflowers

Uploaded by Danita

Location: My front yard
Date: 2023-09-16
Turks Cap Blooming in September of 2023

Uploaded by JulieParnell

Location: My yard in Arlington, Texas.
Date: Summer 2010
This plant is beautiful and very reliable, hummers and butterflie

Uploaded by frostweed

Location: Albuquerque, NM Zone 7b
Date: 10.03.21

Uploaded by NMoasis

Location: all photos from my gardens
Date: 2018-07-10

Uploaded by pinkiris

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-08-03
Large clump formed by underground suckers off original plant's ro

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Burleson, Tx.
Date: 2011-10-02

Uploaded by StephGTx

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-09-04
Basal branch cutting rooted 1 month in water only.

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: Sept. 9, 2021
Hummers on it morning, noon and evening!

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-07-25
Mexican Apple 002

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-07-03
First bush in this clump to bloom year.

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-10-20
Seedling from cutting 6 wks. from cutting. Rooted direct in soi

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-09-30
Mexican Apple 011

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: San Antonio TX
Date: 2017-10-22
Seeds contained inside fruit; very pulpy

Uploaded by ricelg

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-07-25
Mexican Apple 001

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: San Marcos, TX
Date: 2019-02-17
blooms will come, first the leaves

Uploaded by christinereid54

Location: Central Texas
Date: 2016-07-26

Uploaded by Rocks2Blooms

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by EmmaGrace

Uploaded by mmolyson

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by Arcadiaseeker

Uploaded by StephGTx

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by abhege

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Date: October 9, 2003

Uploaded by sheryl

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: Dallas, TX Zone 8a
Date: 2016-09-03

Uploaded by tx_flower_child

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Mercer Botanical Garden Houston, Tx
Date: 2014-05-19

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-08-21
Turk's Cap 019

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Burleson, Tx.
Date: 2011-11-15

Uploaded by StephGTx

Location: Central Texas
Date: 2016-07-31

Uploaded by Rocks2Blooms

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by EmmaGrace

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-09-13
Turk's Cap 006

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Uploaded by StephGTx

Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2010-06-24

Uploaded by Marilyn

Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2010-06-25

Uploaded by Marilyn

Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2010-08-25

Uploaded by Marilyn

Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2009-07-19

Uploaded by Marilyn

Uploaded by imabirdnut

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by TexasPlumeria87 (Plano, TX - Zone 8a) on Jul 12, 2017 12:54 PM concerning plant:

I have 5 of these plants in various spots in my garden. They'll grow in full sun or full shade and this year I've noticed quite a few hummingbirds visiting the flowers. I also have mine planted in clay soil that hasn't been amended and they still thrive. It's definitely a carefree plant.

Reply to this comment
Posted by frostweed (Arlington, Texas - Zone 8a) on Oct 26, 2011 2:07 PM concerning plant:

Turk's Cap is a very long-lived and care-free plant. It has been reported to live 50 years or longer.

Reply to this comment
Posted by imabirdnut (North Texas - Zone 7b) on Aug 16, 2012 9:32 PM concerning plant:

This is a great plant for understory & full shade! Collect seed & plant in the fall.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Dewberry (Austin, TX) on Apr 21, 2021 8:26 PM concerning plant:

Turk's Cap bloomed in December for me near Austin, TX, even after multiple frosts!

It's scraggly but beautiful, with bright true red flowers. They say it likes shade, but it seems to do well in a mostly sunny spot too. I've seen it in full shade, and it copes by getting extremely leggy.

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Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on Aug 20, 2012 10:21 PM concerning plant:

I've grown this plant as an annual and love it! I'm going to grow it next year instead of 'Big Momma', which I am growing this year. It doesn't take as much space to grow in a container as 'Big Momma' does. Both have beautiful flowers, but if space is an issue, then this Turk's Cap is the one to grow. I love the way the flowers are shaped! So charming! The hummers love the flowers also!

Reply to this comment
Posted by tabbycat (Youngsville, LA - Zone 9b) on Jun 12, 2018 4:02 PM concerning plant:

I have this red flowering plant but with variegated leaves that I bought from Almost Eden Plants here in Louisiana last fall. It has grown to double its size and now in June is in full bloom. It looks like a lit-up flocked Christmas tree with red lights. I love it! I will take a picture and post it when I can.

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Posted by ricelg (Hill Country TX - Zone 8b) on May 14, 2017 8:47 PM concerning plant:

It has done well for me as an understory plant and as important, the deer have so far left it alone!

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
piksihk	On June 23, 2021	Bloomed WG
piksihk	On August 1, 2018	Obtained plant Hummers enjoying it
piksihk	On June 14, 2016	Bloomed
piksihk	On June 1, 2015	Bloomed
piksihk	On June 16, 2014	Bloomed
MunchkinsMom	On November 16, 2018	Fruit Ripened Fruits are Starting to Form on Turk's Cap
MunchkinsMom	On April 6, 2016	Transplanted Deck bed
MunchkinsMom	On April 1, 2016	Obtained plant Dogwood eBay 2" pot, about 12" tall
Myles	On February 20, 2017	Obtained plant this plant was started from seed purchased in 2016. Overwintered in greenhouse through winter of 2016. Plan to plant out into the garden in spring of 2017. Lovely healthy plant with deep green leaf color.

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Beautiful picture of yellow butterfly on red bud by tabbycat	Jul 1, 2017 10:49 AM	0

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Malvaviscus Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)

Malvaviscus
Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)