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{{plantbox
{{SPlantbox
| color = IndianRed
|familia=Malvaceae
| name = Silk Flower
|genus=Abelmoschus
| common_names = Silk Flower, Musk Mallow
|species=moschatus
| growth_habit = bush
|common_name=Silk Flower, Musk Mallow
| high = 1.5 ft
|habit=herbaceous
| wide = 1.5 ft
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| lifespan = Annual
|Min ht box=4
| exposure = Full Sun
|Min ht metric=ft
| water = Regular
|Max ht box=6
| features =
|Max ht metric=ft
| poisonous =
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
| hardiness =
|Max wd box=30
| usda_zones = All
|Max wd metric=in
| sunset_zones = All
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|origin=India
|lifespan=annual
|exposure=sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|water=moist
|features=flowers, fragrance
|flower_season=early summer, mid summer, late summer
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|flowers=orange, yellow, white
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=10
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=12
|sunset_zones=All
|image=Abelmoschus moschatus Blanco2.245-cropped.jpg
|image_width=180
}}
}}
[[Abelmoschus]] moschatus
'''''[[Abelmoschus]] moschatus''''' ('''Abelmosk''', '''Ambrette seeds''', '''Annual hibiscus''', '''Bamia Moschata''', '''Galu Gasturi''', '''Muskdana''', '''Musk mallow''', '''Musk okra''', '''Musk seeds''', '''Ornamental okra''', '''Rose mallow seeds''', '''Tropical jewel hibiscus''', '''Yorka okra'''; [[syn.]] ''Hibiscus abelmoschus'' [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]). Bushy plant about 1.5 ft. tall and wide. Has deep green, deeply cut leaves. Five-petaled, 3-4.5-in. flowers, come in cherry red or pink with white centers, resembling tropical hibiscus. Likes good soil, heat, and sunny location; blooms most profusely where summers are long and hot. Grow from seed sown outdoors as soon as ground is warm (or else start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting outdoors). Flowering begins 100 days after sowing, and goes on until frost or cold weather hits. Can be grown as indoors in a 6-in. pot where it gets bright light.
:''More information about this species can be found on the [[Abelmoschus|genus page]].''
{{Taxbox
==Cultivation==
Easily grown in a rich well-drained soil in a sunny position{{pfaf238}}. Tolerates a pH in the range 6 to 7.8. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to about -5°c and can be grown outdoors in the milder areas of the country{{pfaf238}}. The plant grows as a shrub in frost-free climates but is usually cut back to the ground in British winters. So long as these winters are not too cold, however, it can usually be grown as a herbaceous perennial with new shoots being produced freely from the root-stock. These flower in the summer{{pfaf238}}. It is probably wise to apply a good mulch to the roots in the autumn{{pfafK}}. It is best to cut back the stems to about 15cm long in the spring even if they have not been killed back by the frost{{pfaf238}}. This will ensure an abundance of new growth and plenty of flowers in the summer. The musk mallow is widely cultivated in tropical climates for its many uses{{pfaf238}}.
===Propagation===
Seed - sow April in a greenhouse. The seed germinates best at a temperature around 24 - 24°c{{pfaf238}}. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots of rich soil and plant them out after the last expected frosts{{pfafK}}. The seed can also be sown in situ in late April in areas with warm summers. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July in a frame{{pfaf238}}.
===Pests and diseases===
Pests: [[Slugs]], [[spider mites]], [[whiteflies]]. Diseases: [[Powdery mildew]] and some other fungal diseases. Root rots and bacterial diseases can also afflict Abelmoschus{{AHS}}.
| subdivision_ranks = Species
==Cultivars==
*'Mischief' is somewhat smaller than the species, reaching a height of 50cm{{pfaf238}}.
*'Pacific Orange' has single orange flowers. flowers are up to 8cm (3in) across, plants are 12-15in (30-38cm) tall.
}}
==Gallery==
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==References==
*http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Abelmoschus+moschatus
<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->
<!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 -->
*Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608
==External links==
*{{wplink}}
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