Malva sylvestris is a species of the mallow genus Malva in the family of Malvaceae and is considered to be the type species for the genus. Known as common mallow to English speaking Europeans,it acquired the common names of cheeses, high mallow and tall mallow (mauve des bois by the French)as it migrated from its native home in Western Europe, North Africa and Asia through the English speaking world.M. sylvestris is a vigorously healthy plant with showy flowers of bright mauve-purple, with dark veins; a handsome plant, often standing 3 or 4 feet (1 m) high and growing freely in fields, hedgerows and in fallow fields.