The story of the wild mallow

Wild mallow (malva sylvestris) is a vigorous plant with showy flowers, bright purple mauve in color, with dark veins; to a height of 1 m in height, growing freely in meadows, hedgerows and fallow fields.

Native to Europe, wood mallow thrives in poor, rugged terrain. It has been introduced and then naturalized in many parts of the world, including Australia, the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Wild mallow was already consumed in 800 BC. They were eaten first in Spain, then in several parts of Europe in the 19th century. The young leaves were boiled and served as a vegetable.

In Spain, the multiple uses of wild mallow gave rise to the following maxim: ""A vegetable garden and mallow are the only medicine a home needs"". Wild mallow is also used as decoration, with its pretty flowers installed at the entrances to homes and woven into garlands or rosaries to celebrate May Day.