The Genus Sphaeralcea
Globemallows
Family: Malvaceae
This is a genus of some 50 species of perennial and annual plants that live in a range of conditions in the Americas, from Canada to South America. Arizona has 17 species, which we will not cover completely here. Instead we will cover just the species that we tend to carry.
The most common species found in our region is the aptly named Sphaeralcea ambigua (the regular globemallow) which is called “ambigua” because though it has a standard look, this species has populations that defy identification—especially with color—some populations will put out other colors besides orange, like pink, white, purple, lavender, even red.
Many species not featured here are very difficult to tell apart from the regular globemallow for the lay person.
Globemallows as a group are important plants to ecology, especially to native bees. Many species of native bees ONLY use globemallow as a nectar plant.
Sphaeralcea ambigua
Globemallow
Herbaceous perennial growing about 3’ tall and 4’ high. May go dormant in the summer, especially if not watered consistently. Orange flowers can appear any time of the year. There are populations that will sport other colors: white, pink, lavender, purple, red, etc. About 20% of the plants in these colorful populations may still be orange—we don’t know what color they’ll be until they bloom. We tend to make these multicolored plants available, but we also encourage you to appreciate the regular orange species, and put less human expectations on plants.
These plants can function as a perennial or annual: when they get enough resources (water, good soil) they will perennialize. During very wet winters, plants will form massive fields of very small, blooming seedlings, carpeting the deserts with orange. This usually only happens during superbloom years, which is about once or twice a decade.
There are asexually preserved cultivars which are usually selected for a specific flower color.
Grow in full to part sun, with moderate water, hardy to -10° F. We recommend watering plants well through their first summer. Once they are fully established, you can allow them to go entirely dormant the following year.
A favorite food for the Sonoran desert tortoise! Larval food plant for the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), the northern white skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum), the Laviana white skipper (Helioptetes laviana), the common streaky skipper (Celotes nessus), common checkered skipper (Pyrgus scriptura), west coast lady (Vanessa annabella), the painted lady (Vanessa cardui), the bird dropping moth (Ponometia erastrioides), the mallow moth (Larentia clavaria), and the hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe). These are important plants for native bee species, as mentioned above.
Used medicinally for upset stomach, as an antirheumatic, as a cathartic, for colds, as birth control, for venereal diseases, as a poultice for swellings and sores, and as an eyewash.
Sphaeralcea is from Greek sphaira, meaning globe, and alcea, the genus of hollyhock—globemallow. The species epithet for Desert Globemallow "ambigua" is a reference to the leaf shape which is extremely variable and compounded with 4 similar sub-species. The tendency for this species to throw out other colors also adds to its reputation for being “ambiguous”.
Found on dry, rocky slopes, and along sandy washes below 3,500 ft. in southwestern Utah, eastern California, Arizona; south into Sonora and Baja California.
Sphaeralcea coulteri
Coulter’s Globemallow
At first this might not seem all that different than regular globemallow, but it is—for one, it’s an annual. And yes, I know, this is the perennial section, but sometimes we sneak annuals in when it makes sense to help people understand a group of plants. The color orange is hard to describe but it is more buttery than the regular. The plants themselves are usually shorter when blooming and the leaves are not as long, more cordate in 3-5 lobes. Depending on the winter rains they tend to be found blooming sometime between January and May.
Plant in full sun, provide moderate water (the more water they get, the more they bloom and therefore, reseed for next year). They aren’t bothered by the cold in our region. In open, sunny landscapes, they will come up each year. During the fall when temperatures start going down, if rains don’t help, splash some water on the areas they are growing, and do this every once in a while to wake them up.
A favorite food for the Sonoran desert tortoise (if they are awake)! Larval food plant for the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), the northern white skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum), the Laviana white skipper (Helioptetes laviana), the common streaky skipper (Celotes nessus), common checkered skipper (Pyrgus scriptura), west coast lady (Vanessa annabella), the painted lady (Vanessa cardui), the bird dropping moth (Ponometia erastrioides), the mallow moth (Larentia clavaria), and the hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe). Important plants for native bee species.
This species can probably be used in similar ways, medicinally, as Sphaeralcea ambigua.
Sphaeralcea is from Greek sphaira, a globe, and alcea, a related genus, while coulteri is named for Dr. Thomas coulter (1793-1843) an Irish botanist who was the first to collect in Arizona.
Found on desert flats, in sandy or fine-textured soils, and along arroyos below 2,500 ft in southern Arizona (become more absent in southeastern Arizona, but starts to appear in the Tucson Mountains, Ironwood National Monument, etc.), southern California, and northwestern Mexico, in Sonora and Baja California.
Sphaeralcea fendleri
Fendler’s Globemallow
This species is distinctive. Plants are very upright, leaves are 3-lobed, and often the flowers are bright pink (though they can also be orange). This species usually blooms in summer as opposed to spring, and those blooms can reach almost 5’ tall. When the regular globemallow is going dormant, this species is just getting going. The foliage of this species also tends to be less hairy and thus, greener than the other globemallows.
Plant in full sun to bright shade. Though these plants will grow and bloom in shadier locations, more sun will produce better flowers. Moderate to regular water, depending on location. This plant is extremely cold hardy as it is native as high up as 8,000’ in elevation.
Larval food plant for the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), the northern white skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum), the Laviana white skipper (Helioptetes laviana), the common streaky skipper (Celotes nessus), common checkered skipper (Pyrgus scriptura), west coast lady (Vanessa annabella), the painted lady (Vanessa cardui), the bird dropping moth (Ponometia erastrioides), the mallow moth (Larentia clavaria), and the hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe). Important plants for native bee species.
An infusion of the plant is taken for mouth sores and for internal injury and hemorrhage; also made into a lotion to treat external injuries.
Sphaeralcea is from the Greek sphaira, a globe, and alcea, the hollyhock genus (a type of mallow); fendleri honors Augustus Fendler (1813-1883), a Prussian-born American natural history collector.
Found in pine-oak forests and juniper woodlands, from 3,000-8,000 ft in Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, western Texas, and in adjacent Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico.
Sphaeralcea laxa
Caliche Globemallow
This is usually a perennial species, as the name denotes, often found on caliche soils, disturbed sites with little topsoil. The plants are not as large as the regular globemallow, usually with very deeply lobed leaves, and the tell-tale purple anthers in the middle of the orange flowers.
Grow in full sun, provide moderate water. Cold hardiness is untested but this species is native to as high as 6000’, so its pretty cold hardy.
As with regular globe mallow, this is a favorite food for the Sonoran desert tortoise (if they are awake)! Larval food plant for the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), the northern white skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum), the Laviana white skipper (Helioptetes laviana), the common streaky skipper (Celotes nessus), common checkered skipper (Pyrgus scriptura), west coast lady (Vanessa annabella), the painted lady (Vanessa cardui), the bird dropping moth (Ponometia erastrioides), the mallow moth (Larentia clavaria), and the hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe). Important plants for native bee species.
This plant probably can be used like regular globemallow. It might contain some distinctive chemicals—there is a purple hue to the foliage (and the anthers in the flowers) that might be indicative of distinctive chemistry.
Sphaeralcea is from the Greek sphaira, a globe, and alcea, the hollyhock genus (a type of mallow); laxa means growing loosely.
Found in caliche soils, disturbed areas, rocky slopes, and washes in the open, from 2,000-6,000 ft in Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, southern Texas, south into northern Mexico.