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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Malvaceae (w/Bombacaceae & Sterculeacea) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Clear Pink |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Height: 6-8 feet |
| Width: 4-6 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Anisodontea 'Tara's Pink' (Cape Mallow) - An upright evergreen shrub to 6 to 8 feet tall by 4 feet wide. Plant is full sun and water occasionally to infrequently - this is certainly a low water requiring ("drought tolerant") plant. Hardy to 20 degrees F (it weathered the winter 1990 cold nights down to 18 ° F . This plant was a spontaneous seedling hybrid, presumably between Anisodontea x hypomandarum and A. scabrosa that occurred in the San Marcos Growers' test garden where we had both of these plants were growing. The foliage is larger and more lush then typical Anisodontea x hypomandarum and the larger flowers are a deeper pink. The seedling in our garden grew to over 8 feet tall by 6 feet wide. We named this plant 'Tara's Pink' in honor, and now in memory, of Tara, Randy Baldwin's Rhodesian Ridgeback, who used to roam the nursery garden. This plant was introduced by San Marcos Growers in 1993 and has since been grown by many other nurseries. We later introduced 'Tara's Wonder', which was presumed to be a hybrid between 'Tara's Pink' or A. x hypomandarum and A. anomala and had attractive flowers with a deep rose-center and orchid striping radiating outwards and dark green leaves that were strongly lobed. Though 'Tara's Wonder had striking flowers, its coarse foliage and open form made it an awkward plant in the garden and it was discontinued in 1998. Most plants we have seen in cultivation labeled 'Tara's Wonder', even in reputable botanic gardens, have actually been plants of 'Tara's Pink'.
This information is based on research conducted about this plant in our nursery library and from reliable online sources. We also take into consideration observations of it in our nursery of crops, as well as of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens we have visited. We will incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if it includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Anisodontea 'Tara's Pink'. |
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