Turks Cap Plant Sets

Add a "Texas Native Superstar" to your garden with Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. Drummondii), a versatile, spreading deciduous shrub prized for its unique, turban-like blooms and incredible wildlife value. Also known as Wax Mallow, Texas Mallow, or Mexican Apple, this plant features bright red, hibiscus-like flowers that never fully open; instead, their petals overlap to form a loose tube with a long staminal column protruding from the center. Turk’s Cap is a rare garden gem that blooms prolifically in the shade, making it "especially useful" for bringing vibrant color to the difficult, darker corners of your landscape. Whether you are looking to attract a frenzy of hummingbirds or need a resilient hedge that can handle heat and drought, this plant is an "old-fashioned" southern favorite that delivers season after season. Key Features: Hummingbird & Butterfly Magnet: The nectar-rich, swirled red petals are a primary draw for hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and other beneficial insects. Prolific Shady Blooms: One of the few native shrubs that provides reliable, showy blooms from late spring through the first frost even in part-shade to full-shade. Wildlife Powerhouse: Beyond nectar, the marble-sized red fruits provide essential food for birds and mammals. Butterfly Host Plant: Serves as a vital larval host for the Turk’s-cap White-skipper and Glassy-winged Skipper. Exceptional Resilience: Once established, it is highly heat and drought tolerant, adapting to a wide variety of soil types including sand, loam, clay, and limestone. Edible & Useful: The fruit is edible raw or cooked—tasting somewhat like a "little apple"—and the flowers can be dried for herbal tea. Pollinator-Safe: Grown non-GMO and free of harmful neonicotinoids, promoting a healthy ecosystem for pollinators and wildlife. Available in sets of three, six, or 12 plants to establish a lush, red-turbaned retreat in your garden. Why Choose Turk’s Cap? Turk’s Cap is a "pass-along" plant with deep roots in Texas history, named for naturalist Thomas Drummond who extensively documented the region's flora. It is valued for its rapid growth and ability to form lush colonies that provide excellent cover for wildlife. While it can reach heights of 10 feet in the wild, it typically stays a manageable 2–3 feet in garden settings and responds exceptionally well to pruning, allowing you to maintain your desired shape. Planting Tips: Location: Best in part-shade to shade, which keeps the large, heart-shaped leaves lush and green. It will adapt to full sun, though leaves may become smaller and darker. Thrives in moist, fertile, well-drained woodland soils but is adaptable to almost any soil type including heavy clay. Watering: Water regularly during the first growing season to establish the root system; it is very drought-tolerant once mature. Maintenance: Prune back every couple of years to control size and encourage a bushier habit; it will continue to bloom even after being cut short. Spacing: Plants can form colonies via root division and self-seeding but are easy to contain by pulling unwanted new growth. For more information on planting, view our How to Plant Your Native Plants guide and other planting tips in the Garden for Wildlife Learning Center.