Globe mallow is a super-resilient shrub that comes in a rainbow assortment of colors. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for this southwest desert native.
Globe mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) is a medium size, semi-deciduous shrub that’s native to some parts of the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts.
It has small gray leaves and, in the spring, is covered with flowers that are usually orange, but can come in a rainbow of colors including white, lavender, magenta, and various shades of pink and red.
This is an extremely resilient plant that can take whatever nature dishes out including extreme heat, cold, drought, and wind. It’s often found growing alongside some of the other toughest desert shrubs such as creosote and brittlebush.
In the spring, it might catch your eye growing along roadsides and in median strips. In its native environment, these plants survive on as little as 2” of annual rainfall. It’s so hardy, it’s been used to revegetate abandoned mines.
Globe mallow is an extremely low-maintenance plant. It needs minimal irrigation, requires little pruning, and produces no obvious litter.
When in bloom, globe mallow attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It is also a larval host for many moths and butterflies.
Why I Like This Plant
- Flowers profusely in the spring
- Wide variety of striking colors
- Takes extreme heat and cold in its stride
- Extremely low maintenance
- Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies
Things to Watch Out For
Plants can definitely get a little raggedy-looking as summer progresses.
Its leaves are covered in tiny hairs that some people find irritating. They are especially irritating if you get them in your eyes, hence globe mallow’s alternative names of sore-eye poppies or pink-eye poppies.
Optimal Growing Conditions
If you’re thinking of adding a globe mallow to your garden, you need to find a suitable place that will keep your plant healthy and looking good… while minimizing maintenance for you.
Here are the key factors to keep in mind.
Temperature
Globe mallow should be planted in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 – 11. It is extremely heat tolerant and cold-hardy down to 15℉. While it’s usually considered evergreen, it’s actually semi-deciduous, since it will lose leaves during extreme drought or cold.
Sun Exposure
It thrives in full sun and doesn’t mind the reflected heat from a west-facing wall, the hottest spot in most gardens.
Size and Growth Rate
Globe mallow is considered a fast grower. A typical specimen will reach a size of 5’ wide by 4’ tall when mature.
Soil
Globe mallow is not particular about soil. It grows well in any native soil — rocky, sandy, clay, and even disturbed soil — provided it’s well-draining.
Globe Mallow:
The Essentials
| Common Name | Globe mallow |
| Scientific Name | Sphaeralcea ambigua |
| Origin | Sonoran, Mojave Deserts |
| Plant Type | Semi-deciduous shrub |
| USDA Zones | Zones 7 – 11 |
| Cold Hardiness | To 15℉ |
| Flower Color | Various, usually orange |
| Flower Season | Spring |
| Mature Size | 4’ high x 5’ wide |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun Tolerance | Full, reflected sun |
| Water Needs | Low |
| Pests & Diseases | Root rot if overwatered |
| Cautions | Irritating hairs |
| Wildlife | Attracts butterflies, bees, hummingbirds Javelina resistant |
How to Plant
The rule of thumb when planting any shrub in the desert is to dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Amending the soil is not recommended. Counterintuitively, backfilling with the same native soil you just dug up helps your plant develop a stronger root system.
Buying tip!
Buy globe mallow when it’s in bloom.
It’s the only way you’ll know for sure what color you’re getting.
When to Plant Globe Mallow
The best time to plant globe mallow is in the fall. This gives your shrub three seasons to grow roots and get established before the following summer.
The second best time is in spring, the earlier the better. This still gives your plant time to get established before the intense heat of June arrives.
Globe mallow’s leaves are covered in tiny hairs that some people find irritating, so be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when planting or pruning this plant.
Grow Globe Mallow From Seed
Globe mallow can be grown from seed. Seeds should be nicked to increase germination. The best time to sow seeds is fall. You can buy seeds from Tucson’s Native Seed/SEARCH (they ship).
How to Care for Globe Mallow
Whether you’ve recently planted a globe mallow or have an existing plant in your yard, here’s how to take care of it to keep it healthy and looking its best.
How to Water New Plants
Once you’ve got your globe mallow planted, watering is your most immediate concern. Here is the recommended watering schedule for new shrubs planted in the spring or fall.
| Weeks 1 & 2 | Every 3 – 4 days |
| Weeks 3 & 4 | Every 5 – 7 days |
| Weeks 5 & 6 | Every 7 – 10 days |
| Weeks 7 & 8 | Every 10 – 14 days |
After week 8, gradually extend the time between waterings.
How to Water Established Plants
As a tough desert native, established plants need minimal irrigation, once every 3 to 4 weeks in the summer and not at all during the winter.
Be sure not to overwater globe mallow. This can lead to floppy plants and root rot.
Should You Fertilize?
There is no need to fertilize globe mallow. They are well-adapted to thrive in native desert soil.
How to Prune
Globe mallow is a casual rather than formal plant. It has a free-form shape that does not respond well to being pruned into a hedge or ball.
Fortunately, pruning globe mallow is quite simple. After its main spring bloom is over, cut it back to 1 foot in the early summer. Globe mallow can look a little rough during the summer, and a severe regenerative prune is just what it needs to bounce back and continue to flower throughout the summer and fall.
Globe Mallow Cultivars
Globe mallow has several popular varieties you may encounter when plant shopping.
Sphaeralcea ambigua ‘Orange Crush’ is a more compact version of the parent plant. It grows only 18 inches tall, making it more of a ground cover than a shrub. It’s covered in bright coral-orange flowers much of the year — from late December through June. It’s a favorite of hummingbirds.
Sphaeralcea ambigua ‘Louis Hamilton’, like orange crush, is a smaller version of the original plant, reaching 2 feet tall and 2 – 3 feet’ wide. In the spring it’s covered with large watermelon-red flowers and then blooms intermittently through the summer and fall.
Sphaeralcea ambigua ‘Papago Pink’ blooms abundantly in the spring and then intermittently through the fall. It is covered with huge light pink blossoms that are reminiscent of hollyhocks.
Plant Lover Facts
Globe mallow also goes by the common names desert globemallow, desert mallow, and apricot mallow.
Its native range covers desert and shrubland regions of Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and northwestern Mexico.
Globe mallow is a favorite food of rescued desert tortoises.
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Author Bio
Deane Alban is the creator of Southwest Gardener. She is a science writer with a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of South Florida. Gardening is her lifelong passion. She’s been gardening in Tucson for 15 years.
