The Althea is a large shrub that grows up to 9 feet tall and 6 feet wide, growing at a medium rate. It is a very hardy plant. It flowers in September with pink, trumpet-shaped flowers, while its seeds ripen in October. Each flower doesn’t bloom for very long, but they are so numerous that the Althea has a long blooming period. The Althea is highly tolerant to heat and drought, so has been fought in many suburban areas.

The name “syriacus” comes from the fact that it’s been collected from Syrian gardens.

Fun Fact: The Althea is native to south-central and southeast China, but has been introduced widely elsewhere.