Malope trifida ‘Vulcan’ is a fabulous old-fashioned hardy annual with the height, branching habit and generous flower production needed for a productive cutting garden.
 
The large, satiny flowers are an intense cerise-crimson, marked with darker radiating veins and a contrasting fresh green centre. Their open, trumpet-shaped form resembles a more refined, delicate hollyhock, held on strong branching stems above fresh green foliage.
 
‘Vulcan’ quickly fills gaps in borders and produces flowers continuously from early summer into autumn. It is a genuine cut-and-come-again variety: the more regularly the stems are harvested, the more lateral growth and new flowers the plant will produce. Malope is particularly useful for relaxed, garden-style arrangements. 
 
 
When to Sow: February–April indoors or direct sow in May
 
How to Sow Malope:
Sow indoors: Sow approximately 1mm deep into pots or modules filled with moist, well-drained seed compost. Cover very lightly, as the seeds should not be completely excluded from light.
Keep at 20–30°C until germination, which usually takes 7–14 days. Once seedlings appear, move them into cooler, bright conditions.
Transplant seedlings into individual 8cm pots when large enough to handle. Malope develops a taproot, so avoid leaving seedlings in small modules for too long.
Gradually acclimatise the young plants before planting outside once the danger of frost has passed. Although classified as a hardy annual, young plants can still be damaged by frost.
Sow directly: Sow outside in May into finely prepared, well-drained soil. Sow thinly and cover with approximately 1mm of soil. Keep the seedbed moist until germination and thin the seedlings to approximately 30cm apart.
 
Classification: Hardy annual
Expert level: Easy to grow
Germination time: 7–14 days
Days to maturity: 90–110 days
 
Flowering time: June–September
Site: Full sun; preferably sheltered
Soil type: Chalk or loam
Soil acidity: Acidic, neutral or alkaline
Moisture: Moist but well-drained
 
Care: Water during prolonged dry weather. Tall plants may require support, particularly in exposed positions. Pick or deadhead regularly to encourage lateral growth and continued flowering.
Use: Cut flowers, cottage-garden borders, pollinator planting and summer bedding
Harvest: Cut when one or two flowers are open on each branching stem and plenty of buds remain
 
Vase life:  7–10 days
Height: 120cm
Plant spacing: 30cm