Waltheria indica aka Leather Coat

Waltheria indica belongs to the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a perennial, but its life is short. Kew places its native range in tropical and subtropical America. It now grows across many warm parts of the world. Its climate range includes the tropics where a dry season occurs. It forms a small shrub or subshrub with lasting woody stems. People gather wild plants for local medicine and fibre.

Several stems grow straight up or slope upward from the base. They may branch near the ground and turn woody. Reports give heights of about 1.6–6.6 feet [0.5–2 metres]. One source also gives a height of 3.3 feet [1 metre]. These figures do not define a clear range for garden plants. The plant can bloom and set fruit all year. Each small, round, dry capsule holds one seed. Reports describe homostylous flowers in Central America. They describe heterostylous flowers in India.

The plant grows in woods, bushland, grasslands, and farmed ground. It also grows on rocky slopes, gravel, dunes, and sandy plains. Other sites include riverbeds, damp hollows, and land that floods. In Africa, records reach about 5,400 feet [1,650 metres] above sea level. It grows in many soils and copes with varied habitats. It spreads into disturbed soil and can become a widespread weed. Reports class it as invasive in many areas. This weed risk matters when choosing it for a garden.

You can raise new plants from seed. Pick ripe capsules before they turn fully brown. Dry them in a paper container for about a week. Then use a strainer to sort out the seeds. Sow them on top of a planting mix. Press them into contact with the soil, but do not bury them. Use a light touch when you press. Keep the container in shade and the mix damp, not soaked. Seeds may take one to three months to sprout.

The bark yields fibre that sources compare with jute. This fibre has no commercial importance. In traditional medicine, people make remedies for fever, coughs, and colds. They use leafy stems for bladder complaints and ulcers. They use root remedies for diarrhoea and coughs. They also apply treatments to wounds and skin complaints. These reports do not prove that treatments work or are safe. The source lists no known food uses or hazards. That does not prove safety for people or pets.