Mallow, also called high mallow, wood mallow, tree mallow, or cheeseweed, is a spreading herb that can be biennial. It is native to Europe and Asia but is naturalized throughout most of North America. This is a different plant than Marshmallow, also in this book. It is in the Malvaceae (Mallow) Family and looks similar to Hibiscus.

Identification: This plant grows from 3 to 10 feet (3m) high. Its branches are bare or covered with fine soft hairs. They have palmately lobed leaves that are dark green in color with long petioles. Leaves are 1 ½ to 2 inches (3.5 cm to 5 cm) across and are creased with 3 to 9 shallow lobes. Leaves on the stem are alternate. The leaves have a course feel but release mucilage when crushed. Purple-pink flowers bloom between May and August. Flowers grow in axillary clusters of 2 to 4 and form along the main stem.

They are about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter with 5 dark, veined, notched petals. Flowers at the base of the stem open first. The fruit looks like compressed disks or a cheese wheel, leading to the nickname “cheese flower.” Ripe seeds are about ¼ inch (0.625 cm) in diameter and are brownish-green to brown in color.

Edible Use: All parts are edible raw or cooked and are mucilagenous. Leaves cook up much like okra. Cooked mallow roots can be beaten and used like egg whites in a meringue.