Description:
An erect or sprawling, annual or biennial herb to 1.5 metres with round lobed leaves, heart shaped cotyledons, small, 5-petalled white or pink flowers from April to November.
As A Soil Indicator:
Very low Calcium, high Potassium, very high Magnesium, high Iron, Low humas in the soil, anaerobic bacteria dominate, potential waterlogged area, compacted soil, poor drainage, High Aluminum levels
Life cycle:
Annual or biennial. Germinates in spring to autumn and grows rapidly. Flowers August-December. Spring germinating plants may flower when only a few centimetres high and survive over summer to become biennial.
Beneficial:
Palatable fodder
Detrimental:
Weed of stock yards, crops, vegetables, pastures, gardens, roadsides, waterways and disturbed areas. Difficult to control. May cause staggers in stock that graze significant quantities. It is a potential host of Root Lesion Nematodes (Pratylenchus neglectus) allowing some build up of numbers
Toxicity:
Sheep, especially lambs are more susceptible than cattle or horses to poisoning. Most cases occur in the July to October period with some as late as December when Mallow has made up a large part of their diet for days or weeks. Toxicity may be passed to lambs through milk. May contain toxic quantities of nitrate in unmanaged overfertilised pasture.
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