- Winter is a foreign word for them
- Beginning and end of winter time
- The ideal winter home
- Cutting when there is a lack of space
The flowering season of this South African beauty is drawing to a close in late autumn. By then at the latest, her owner has to decide whether he wants to give her another year of life. Because the plant cannot survive the cold winter alone.
The cape mallow may only be outside in summer
Winter is a foreign word for them
Cape mallow has not developed hardiness as this is not a necessity in its native habitat on the southern tip of Africa. While there it can grow outdoors as a bush all year round, in Germany it is planted in a container, where it stays a little smaller.
This type of cultivation makes it easy to switch between summer and winter locations. Because only with a well-organized overwintering can the plant stay with us for several years and drive its beautiful flowers year after year.
Beginning and end of winter time
The moving date for the Cape Malve does not depend on the calendar alone, but on the currently prevailing weather. It is important to avoid frost, but also temperatures below 10 °C.
The move can be delayed as long as the weather permits, so that the late blossoms also attract admiring glances. In spring, on the other hand, under favorable conditions, you can venture out before mid-May.
Don't just look at the temperature during the day. In autumn and spring there is a risk of night frosts. Checking the weather forecast every day can save the life of Cape Mallow.
The ideal winter home
In winter, the cape mallow needs a room where it is completely safe from frost. Ideally, this should provide the following conditions:
- lots of light
- Temperatures from 10 to 15 °C
The cape mallow is evergreen, but can lose some of its leaves in the winter quarters if it is too dark for it. It will sprout again in the spring.
Cutting when there is a lack of space
If space in the winter quarters is tight, the pruning-tolerant plant can feel the scissors. The shoots can be shortened to 3-4 pairs of leaves, leaving only about a third of the crown. In the spring, when the plant starts to sprout again, it can be pruned again if necessary.
tips
The soil of the cape mallow must never dry out completely, even during the winter rest period. Give the plant a little water as soon as the top layer of soil has dried. Further care is not required.