Description: Desert Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), also commonly known as Apricot Mallow, is a member of the genus Sphaeralcea in the mallow family (Malvaceae) This two foot perennial shrub contains many one inch orange flowers on two to three foot spikes, the number of which increase with the age of the plant. The leaves are fuzzy and deeply lobed. The fruit is a brown capsule containing numerous seeds. The flowers are apricot to orange in color and bloom in the spring. It grows well in alkaline soil, both sandy or clay, usually in the company of creosote bush scrub. Desert Mallow needs sun and good air flow. It is mostly a desert plant native to parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.
|