The Swamp Rose Mallow is a Perennial Member of the Mallow Family with Huge 6-9" Wide Flowers. Cold Hardy to Zone 5, the Rose Mallow will Reach About 7 Foot Tall. This Large Wetland Plant Produces Showy, Pinkish White Petalled Flowers in Summer. The Very Large Flowers Get as Large as 6-9 Inches in Diameter. Grown for Their Showy Flowers or Used as Landscaping Shrubs, are Also Used to Attract Butterflies, Bees, and Hummingbirds. Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun. Best in moist, organically rich soils, but does surprisingly well in average garden soils as long as those soils are not allowed to dry out. Regular deep watering is advisable. Immune to the heat and humidity of the deep South. Tolerates some light shade, but full sun with good air circulation produces the best flowers, the strongest stems and the best environment for resisting potential diseases. Site in locations protected from wind to minimize the risk of wind burn. Pinch back growing tips when they reach 8” and again at 12” if bushy plants are desired. Deadhead individual flowers to maintain plant appearance. Cut back stems to approximately 3-4 inches in late autumn. New growth shoots are slow to emerge in spring. However, once new growth begins, it proceeds quite rapidly. Plants will benefit from regular fertilization during the growing season. Zones 5-9 Mallow Rose Germination: 1) Soak seeds in warm water for 24hrs. 2) Place seeds inside of a zip lock bag filled with moist sand and place inside the fridge for 60 days to cold stratify them. Leave 1 inch of the bag open for slight air circulation. This will break the seeds dormancy and allow them to sprout when planted. 3) Plant seeds 1/4" deep into a well draining seed starting mix. 4) Use a heated propagator mat to keep the soil at 85 degrees F. during the day. Turning off the mat at night to decrease the temperature between 65-68 degrees will mimic their natural conditions in the wild and increase germination speed. 5) Cover with plastic to keep humidity around 60%, and use a grow lamp to keep bright light on them, but no full sun. 6) Expect germination within 2-3 weeks.