Malvarrosa
Alcea rosea
El clásico indiscutible del jardín campestre — rígidas espigas florales de 5-8 feet se alzan cubiertas de vistosas flores embudadas en blanco, rosa y rojo de junio a agosto. Perenne de corta vida que se suele cultivar como bienal o «anual» de autosiembra, su porte arquitectónico destaca junto a muros y vallas y atrae colibríes y mariposas. De origen hortícola, no nativa de América del Norte, y notoriamente propensa a la roya, que es su principal exigencia de mantenimiento.
Climate fit: moderate (69/100)
Structure
Focal point
Pollinator
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
60-96" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
2a-10b
brutally cold to mild winters
AHS heat range
1-11
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Painted lady — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Cold hardiness
Future
These values are location-based: this location's current hardiness is the baseline, and the 2050 value is a projected future climate for this same location.
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Published baseline for this location from 1991-2020.
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7a
Plotwright
Projected zone for this same location in 2050 (2041-2070) using SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry).
Well-suited
In plain terms: This location is in Zone 6b today. Its hardiness profile is cold winters, and coldest nights are typically around -3°F. By 2050, the projected hardiness zone is Zone 7a based on SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry). That is a +0.5-zone shift from Zone 6b to Zone 7a by 2050.
✓
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...
Where this plant fits
Suitable across 45 ecoregions — 45 climate-resilient through 2070. Best matches first.
Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
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Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
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Arizona Mountains forests
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Atlantic coastal pine barrens
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Blue Mountains forests
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California coastal sage and chaparral
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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands
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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests
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Central Tallgrass prairie
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Central-Southern Cascades Forests
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Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Malvarrosa (Alcea rosea). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/alcea-rosea
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes