Mallow

Common mallow on Ægholm.

Common mallow (Malva sylvestris) is one of the most eye-catching species on the islands. It is nitrogen-loving and is found in places where gull colonies have lavishly fertilised the soil. It occurs mainly on the islands in Lejre Vig, but the population varies greatly when changes in bird population alter the amount of fertiliser.


Common mallow on Ægholm. Gull droppings nourish the dense vegetation.

Ægholm can be almost completely covered with mallow and there are also dense beds on Kølholm.


Greater musk-mallow on Langholm in Lejre Vig.

The closely related greater musk-mallow (Malva alcea) has one of the fjord’s prettiest flowers. It grows on grassland, where it is dependent on the open seedbeds provided by water voles etc. Roskilde Fjord is near the northern edge of greater musk-mallow’s distribution.
Water voles form seedbeds for greater musk-mallow and other annuals and biennials.




Key to the Distribution Map.