I looked it up, and I'm in Zone 5. And "Arborvitae" seems to be it, or close enough. (A picture of a "thuja" leaf in Wikipedia looked just like that of my evergreen, but they said they were trees starting from 10 ft. As you can see in the pic, mine are 3-4 ft.). All's I know is, I bought the plants at Canadian Tire (a chain of home / hardware stores), they came in pots. They grew fine on the balcony all summer long. Indeed, they needed *lots* of water when on my balcony in the summer. But now that they are inside and during the winter, I'm still unsure of what their watering schedule should be?

Hello, I came across this thread on a Google search for Malva Moschata Alba and so I just now joined Garden Web in hopes that some of you who posted here are still active members even though the thread last posted in May 2007. My name is Douglas and I have been an avid gardener for about 20 years now. However, my real interest is in Natural Fragrance and Natural Perfumes. I personally LOVE all of the Malva's and have always included many variety's in my gardens over the years. But I have not had much experience with the Moschata cultivar's. At this time I am looking into Malva Moschata Alba in particular as several of my old Perfumery books state that this variety produces a Musk Fragrance in the entire plant? Some varieties are known to produce this fragrance in only the Seed, Flower, or Root portion of the plant. I produce limited edition Natural Fragrance Extracts for Perfumers and Fragrance Enthusiast's around the world and am hoping that some of you here might be willing to advise me or share with me your experience with the different Malva Moschata's you have growing with regards to their fragrance and what parts of the plants you have noticed them in. If all goes well I am planning to plant and harvest several acres of Malva Moschata Alba or other Malva Moschata cultivars later this year or in early 2013. This harvest will be used to produce a quantity of Musk Mallow Absolute (which is a concentrated solvent extract) used to make Natural or partially Natural Perfumes by artists in the Fragrance and Flavor Industry. If I am able to get the information I need from experienced gardeners and growers like yourselves, to identify cultivar's with high fragrance content and where in the plant it is located. Or if I can at least confirm the information I have from these Old Fragrance Publications dated from 1851 to 1936. I believe that with your contributions of experience and information, Scentsual Antiquities, myself and the local farming community here in central Utah which have offered to provide the land, equipment and labor/skill to grow and harvest these plants for our project, that together we can succeed in producing this rare and beautiful Natural Fragrance Extract and make it finally available for use in a Perfume that can be enjoyed and experienced by everyone even if they can't visit your gardens or come to my Perfume Studio. This Natural Perfume has never before been made available to the public since by the time it was finally identified and researched, the Fragrance and Flavor Industry had turned to the cheap synthetic musks developed after World War II and which by the way were almost chemically identical to or closely related to Tri-Nitro Toluene or TNT and other Benzene related explosives which could be very cheaply produced in the post war explosives factories using left over stocks from the bomb production assembly lines. Even today, one of these synthetic musks, Acetyl Di-Nitro-Butyl Toluene, known as Musk Ketone, is used in everything from Shampoo and Hair Conditioner, Soap, Laundry Detergent and Dryer Sheats/Fabric Softeners, Air Fresheners, Deodorants, and to add depth and fixation of fragrances for Toilet Paper, Toiletries and Shaving products in general, as well as Flavors and even the very most expensive and well known High End Perfumes of France, England and America and is still among the most widely used Musk Fragrances in spite of it's toxicity and the environmental impact caused in producing it. Any of you who would like to contribute your knowledge and experience to this and other projects that I and Scentsual Antiquities are regularly involved in to identify, extract and produce Natural Fragrance Materials as alternatives to the synthetic chemicals now used and to support with your knowledge, observations and experience the movement toward a healthier and greener environment, this is your chance! Please email me, Douglas at ScentsualAntiquities@yahoo.com and reference your email Malva Moschata Alba so that we can establish contact with one another. You may also follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/scentsualantiquities and via the Scentsual Antiquities website at http://www.scentsualantiquities.com/. My Gratitude and Thanks in advance to any of you able and willing to advise me and share your experience and knowledge of the Malva Moschata cultivars with me. Be Blessed, Douglas

Hi, I have had two hollyhock plants grow to over 6 ft here. (Ponchatoula) For me, they grew some the first year then really grew and bloomed the second year. I think one of the problems with hollyhocks is the heat. The one that bloomed this year could not take the heat we are having now, but earlier in the year it was beautiful. Add too much water to the heat and they just melt away. I tried planting malva zebrinas in pots in the fall, transplating in the spring. They bloomed some and the flowers were very pretty. But they could not take the heat and all the rain. I grow the Texas Red Star hibiscus, which is about seven ft tall this year and it will bloom from the really hot days until frost usually. I also grow the native hibiscus, cream color with maroon throat and some dinnerplate hardy hibiscus in pink and also maroon. I don't grow the tropicals because I don't like having to protect plants in winter. Keep trying with the hollyhocks, if you get just one to make it, it will be worth it. Sherri

NO lavender is a houseplant regardless of type or where you live!! They just will not tolerate indoor conditions for any length of time. Most varieties of lavender will grow well outside in zones 7 and above and English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is typically listed to zone 5. It wants full sun, very well drained soil and minimal watering....only enough to keep it just hydrated. If growing a variety that is not fully hardy for your zone, you can grow it in a container but with very fast draining potting soil. And you need to figure out where to put for winter that stays outdoors but at temps that don't get too much below freezing.