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Home  /  Plants  /  Budburst Species  /  Sphaeralcea ambigua

COMMON NAME

Desert globemallow

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Sphaeralcea ambigua

ALSO KNOWN AS

Apricot mallow, Roughleaf apricot mallow, Desert mallow, Sore-eye poppy, mal de ojo, Parish mallow, Desert hollyhock

Plant family

Mallow (Malvaceae)

Plant group

Wildflowers and Herbs

Desert globemallow is a native perennial sub-shrub with numerous, slightly woody stems. It is known for its brilliant apricot to orange colored flowers.
4 reports
4+
OBSERVERS
4+
OBSERVATIONS
!

Identification hints

Desert globemallow grows in a large, rounded clump to a height of 20-40 inches, and may have over a hundred stems growing from the same root. The flowers are arranged in clusters on the upper stems. Each bowl-shaped flower has 5 petals that are up to 1.5” long. 

Nativar Research Project - contribute your pollinator observations of this native plant and four of its cultivars: ‘Louis Hamilton,' ‘Orange,’ 'Papago Pink,' and ‘Pink.’
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Did you know?

While globemallow was used by the Shoshoni as an eye medicine, the common names “sore eye poppy” and “mal de ojo” are attributed to eye irritation caused by contact with the leaf hairs.

DISTRIBUTION IN TH U.S.
Arizona , California , Nevada , Utah
HABITAT
There is no information available about this species.

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