NICE! Plant of the Month
(Malvaviscus Drummondii)
Description:
In Central Texas, Turk’s Cap grows as a deciduous perennial shrub. It usually reaches a height of 2-4 feet during the growing season, and freezes back in winter. During the growing season, many herbaceous stems arise from the base. The soft, heart-shaped, tropical-looking leaves are velvety on the underside. The plant’s common name comes from its unique flower, which is a loose whorl of bright red petals, resembling a fez. Turk’s Cap blooms from late spring until frost, and the flowers are attractive to both hummingbirds and butterflies. Red berrylike fruits that ripen in fall are eaten by a variety of birds. Turk’s Cap is native in the Southeastern U.S., and west to the Edward’s Plateau.
Deer Resistance:
Considered deer resistant, but may be browsed where deer are densely populated.
Planting Sites:
Does best in shade, part-shade, and dappled shade, but will grow in full sun. Naturally grows in moist, well-drained soil, but withstands seasonal drought. Soil types include sand, loam, clay, and caliche.
Planting Instructions:
Dig hole at least 2 times wider than, but the same depth as the root ball in the nursery container. Carefully remove plant from container, taking care not to break the root ball. Loosen exterior roots, if root bound. Plant at the same depth as the soil in the container. Do not add any soil to the top of root ball. Adding a layer of 3-4 inches of mulch after planting is desirable. Space plants 3-5 ft. apart.
Watering Instructions:
Water in well after planting, using root stimulator according to directions. Repeat watering a few days after planting. Water deeply every 7-10 days, checking an inch or two into soil at edge of root ball to determine soil moisture. Skip a watering after a rain of ½ to 1 inch. Maintain this watering schedule until the first fall after planting. Reduce water during fall and winter. In a “normal” year, no watering may be necessary in fall and winter, but during a dry period, monthly watering may be desirable. From the second spring and thereafter, water monthly only in periods of drought. Once established, Turk’s Cap will survive on 20-30 inches of water per year.
Other care:
Cut back stalks in winter after plant freezes. Turk’s Cap forms colonies, so clumps may be divided in early spring to control spreading.
NICE! Tip:
Use Turk’s Cap to provide summer color as an accent plant or mass planting, especially under shade.
Look for the NICE! Plant of the Month signs and information sheets on your next visit to a participating Boerne nursery. And thank you for supporting native plants by using them in your landscapes.