Wax Mallow

M. arboreus is native to Mexico and Central America. It can be found cultivated and naturalized in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the southeastern USA, the West Indies, the Galapagos Islands, New Zealand, and on several islands in the Pacific Ocean. The plant is loved for its bright red flowers; when fully opened, the flower petals are wrapped around its stamen, looking like an unopened hibiscus flower. This evergreen plant attracts sunbirds which enjoy the sweet nectar and serves as a beautiful addition to attract wildlife to gardens. Wax mallow is having a number of culinary and medicinal properties.

Amapola (Spanish), Xiao xuan ling hua (Chinese), Beerenmalve (German), Juba kusum (India), Mazapan (Mexican), Bunga raya (Malay), Chaba (Thai)

Found in wet areas at middle elevations (0 - 2.000 m) in coastal areas, disturbed sites, mesic forests, riversides and secondary forests. M. arboreus grows best in areas with full sun or partial shade on well-drained sandy soils.

• Stems - Branchlets sparsely villous to glabrate, rarely glabrous.
• Leaves - alternately arranged, stalked leaves are broadly cordate to ovate-cordate, tri-lobed or with smooth margins, 6-12 cm long and 2.5-10 cm wide.
• Flowers - red, tubular flowers are borne singly at the leaf axils, about 2-3.5 cm long and 5-petaled.
• Fruits - fleshy capsules that ripen to bright red and usually contain 3-4 seeds.
• Seeds - brown, reniform or subglobose.

Propagated by seeds, layering and stem cuttings.

Flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, sterols, terpenoids, and fatty acids.

• The plant has been used in traditional medicine in Central America and Haiti.
• Cubans use a flower decoction as gargle for sore throat.
• Dominicans apply the leaf juice to lice, seborrhea and wounds, and a flower decoction is given to nursing infants with cold.
• Haitians and Mexicans drink the flower decoction for bronchitis, diarrhea, thrush and tonsillitis.
• Hondurans drink the leaf decoction for fever.
• Leaf decoction is used by Costa Ricans for the treatment of cystitis, diarrhea, gastritis, and sore throat.
• Flower decoctions are used to treat bronchitis and fever.
• Flowers reduce low-grade systemic inflammation when the lymphatic system is congested.
• The leaves of the plant have been used as an emollient to treat inflammation, soothe itching, and soften skin.
• Mexicans used the flowers of the plant to treat digestive inflammation and as a menstrual aid.
• The plant is known to cure bronchitis, cystitis, diarrhea, dysentery, fever, gastritis, hypertension, kidney diseases, liver and gallbladder problems, stomachache, sore throat, tonsillitis, and wounds
• Turkcap leaves are used by the people of Kampung Naga, Salawu area, Tasikmalaya, West Java, to stimulate the hair growth empirically.

• Siapkan daun kembang sepatu lipstik segar secukupnya, cuci bersih dengan air mengalir.
• Keringkan di bawah sinar matahari atau dengan oven suhu 40°C hingga kadar air 10%.
• Haluskan menggunakan blender hingga menjadi bubuk.
• Simpan di tempat bersih dan kedap udara.