Likehibiscus, lavatera have large, showy, funnel-shaped flowers with five separate petals.
The best planting time for most species is in the spring.
Lavatera has good drought resistance and it isn’t affected by major plant diseases or pests.
Consultaplantas/ Wikimedia Commons /Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license
If you want to give it a neater, more uniform appearance, you canpruneit to the desired shape.
However, excellent drainage is crucial.
After that, switch to occasional watering only in the absence of rain.
Lavatera thuringiaca, native central and southeastern Europe mLastovetskiy / Getty Images
Because lavatera does not like wet soil, see to it the soil has fully dried out before watering.
Temperature and Humidity
Lavatera needs warm and dry weather.
It should be protected from cold winds and might not thrive in very humid environments.
Fertilizer
Only fertilize lavatera once with a slow-releasecomplete fertilizerin the early spring before it starts growing.
Over-fertilizing will result in lots of foliage yet few flowers.
Cut those stems above the new growth, about one foot above ground level.
If you are unsure whether a stem is dead, bend it.
If it snaps easily, its dead.
Seeds should be planted at a very shallow depth, just covered by soil.
The seeds should germinate in two to three weeks.
Also, in a container, it needs more frequentwatering.
These plants are also sometimes affected by Japanese beetles.
Common Problems With Lavatera
Most lavatera species are free from major issues.
Lavatera needsfull sunto bloom.
Perennial lavatera could also fail to bloom because the flower buds were damaged during a late spring frost.
Well-cared-for perennial lavatera plants can live as long as five years.
Dahlias,lavender, andspider flowersall make good companions for lavatera plants.
Yes, the big showy flowers on most lavateras are particularly attractive to bees and hummingbirds.
Illinois.edu, http://ipm.illinois.edu/diseases/rpds/627.pdf
