Identity Crisis
By Beachcomber
Kent,
United Kingdom 
This plant is quite common along the bank of the Great Stour (Sandwich, Kent) and the shingle beach at Walmer and Kingsdown (further south on the east Kent coast). I cannot find it in any wild plant guide and assume it is a garden or farm escape. Can anyone please identify it for me ?
28 Feb, 2009
Answers
Many thanks for your prompt reply. With your help I have identified the plant as Mediterranean-Atlantic Herb Tree Mallow (Lavatera arborea aka Malva dendromorpha) - see http://www.p-pod.co.uk/ppod-0000404218 and page 173 of "Flowers of the Coast" by Ian Hepburn (New Naturalist Series 1952) who describes it as "one of the most distinctive and beautiful of coastal flowers" but I'll have to wait until July to see it in flower.
28 Feb, 2009
glad that is solved. it is pretty in flower. If you want to grow it legally you'll have to collect seed as it is illegal to dig up plants in the wild. I have a few british natives that i have aquired this way.
28 Feb, 2009
Previous question
cant quite tell is the top bloated or is it folds in the leaf? if its folds it looks like a type of mallow. that has overwintered and not died back. it will have small purply pink lowers like a mini laverteria. could be a native or a garden escapee.
28 Feb, 2009