Marshmallow

About this weed

This weed can be either annual or biennial and grows to about 1.5 metres tall under ideal conditions. Originally from northern Africa,  the Arabian Peninsula, western Asia, and southeastern and southwestern Europe, it was introduced as a food, ornamental and medicinal plant. It is now considered a weed in many parts of the world.

Description

Marshmallow is an erect or decumbent annual or perennial. It has small pink or mauve or white flowers through late autumn to late spring. It reproduces by seed and is usually dispersed by water or soil. It can be poisonous to mammals. The seedbank persists possibly up to 100 years.

Impact on Bushland

Not available.

Location

Found in disturbed areas scattered across the Eremaean Province, Northern Province and South-West Province. It prefers sandy & clayey soils and is often found in urban bushland, old lanes and disturbed sites around Perth.

Priority for removal

Low: causes minimal disruption to ecological processes or loss of biodiversity.

Management (hand)

Hand remove isolated small plants. Marshmallow will regrow after cutting or defoliation unless the tap root is cut below the crown. Optimal months for manual weeding are between April and October.

Management (herbicide)

Chemical control is only effective at early growth stages. It is naturally tolerant to Glyphosate and difficult to control due to its substantial taproot. Weed control measures carried out after flowering are unlikely to prevent viable seeds entering the soil seed bank. Read the manufacturers’ labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. Optimal time for spraying herbicides are between April and June.

Flowering month/s

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, Opportunistic

Flower colour/s

Pink, Purple, White

Information source

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/4961

Additional information

https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/weeds/swanweeds/

Marshmallow images