Description: This native perennial plant is 4-10' tall, consisting of a central stem that is erect, and occasional side stems in the upper half of the plant that produce panicles of flowers. The alternate leaves are quite large, up to 10" long and across. They are palmately lobed, while the leaf margins are coarsely dentate. In overall appearance, they resemble oversized maple leaves.
The small white flowers occur in loose
clusters and have a pleasant fragrance. Each flower has a short tubular shape,
which flares outward into 5 lobes, spanning about ½" across. The overall
effect is rather showy. The blooming period occurs from early to mid-summer,
and lasts about a month. Each plant is unisexual (male or female). The root
system consists of a hollow taproot that branches occasionally. This plant has
a distinctive appearance that can't be confused with any other.
Cultivation: The preference is partial sun and moist
loamy soil. This plant doesn't like to dry out, and the leaves will wilt
rapidly and become ragged in appearance if this is allowed to happen. It may
also topple over in a strong wind, particularly when the flowering stage is
reached. Therefore, plant the Glade Mallow in a moist, sheltered location.
Disease does not appear to be a significant problem.
Habitat & Range: The Glade Mallow is an uncommon
plant that occurs sporadically in the northern half of Illinois (see
Distribution
Map). Habitats include riverbottom prairies, soggy thickets, openings in
floodplain forests, riverbanks, and partially shaded areas along lakes. It
doesn't occur in glades in the hillier parts of southern Illinois, contrary to
what its common name suggests.
Faunal
Associations: Little information is available for this plant. Like
other mallows, bees are probably important pollinators of the flowers,
including Melitoma taurea (Mallow Bee). Large herbivores, such as cattle
and deer, probably consume the foliage and stems if given a chance, considering
the large size of the plant, the absence of reported toxins, and the known
palatability of other mallows.
Photographic
Location: Along a building in downtown Champaign,
Illinois.
Comments: This is the only
member of the genus that occurs in Illinois. One of the more unusual members of
the Mallow family, the Glade Mallow is indigenous to only a few states in the
Midwest. Its flowers are much smaller in size than those of other native
mallows (Hibiscus spp.), but they are more numerous. In contrast, its
lower leaves are significantly larger than those of other native mallows, which
makes it more tolerant of shade. The Glade Mallow usually grows in partially
shaded areas that are not far from water.