Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?
The answer to last week’s mystery is swamp rose mallow, Hibiscus moscheutos, pictured in photo #2.
Swamp rose mallow is an obligate hydrophyte, meaning it is wetland-dependent. It thrives in moist to wet soils and can be found in southern and eastern North America.
Swamp rose mallow’s five-petaled flowers range from white to pink. The center of the flower is red or burgundy, where a tubular column of yellow stamens extends. Mallow’s large, heart-shaped leaves are grayish-green on top and white below.
All parts of the swamp rose mallow is edible. The leaf buds and flowers can be cooked or eaten raw. The young leaves have a mild taste with a gelatinous consistency that can be added to salads. The root of the plant can also be eaten, but are quite tough.
Yes, marshmallows were originally derived from the roots of the marsh mallow or swamp mallow! They were mashed, boiled in water until thick, and then eaten. However, our current confection tastes nothing like marshmallow.
The rose mallow bee is considered a specialist bee, as it pollinates this species and only a few others. It’s a robust bee that resembles a bumblebee.
Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.
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