Native to the Mediterranean basin and North Africa, the Mauritanian Mallow ( Malva sylvestris subsp. mauritiana ) continues a long history of close association with humans. Its large, open, cup-shaped, purplish flowers veined with purple are reminiscent of country gardens and flowering embankments where pollinators find a reliable home.

In a kitchen garden, it provides a welcoming presence: bushy, often taller than the common mallow, it stands tall and steady throughout the season. Its flowers add color to the vegetable patch while also providing sustenance for a multitude of insects. Planted in welcoming, slightly alkaline or simply well-drained soil, it integrates naturally into an approach to respectful cultivation, at the heart of a garden in harmony with the cycle of the seasons.