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Malvaceae
Desert Globe Mallow
Sphaeralcea ambigua
Desert endurance.
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Genus
- Sphaeralcea
- Native to
- Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- perennial shrub
- Height
- 2-3 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- dry, rocky, well-drained soil
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 6-10
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Desert globe mallow is one of the first plants to bloom after desert rains, sometimes flowering within days of a soaking.
- The leaves and stems are covered in tiny star-shaped hairs that can irritate skin, earning it the nickname 'sore-eye poppy.'
- Native Americans used globe mallow as a medicinal plant, chewing the roots for sore throats and making leaf poultices for wounds.
- The species name 'ambigua' means 'ambiguous,' reflecting the difficulty of distinguishing among the many globe mallow species.
- Desert globe mallow provides critical food for native desert bees of the genus Diadasia, which are specialist pollinators.
Color meanings
0
hardiness
1
desert beauty