Sphaeralcea munroana

Sphaeralcea munroana Common Names orange globe mallow, Munro's globemallow Family Mallow Flower Color Orange, Yellow Plant Type Herb Native Yes Weed No

Orange globe mallow is a widely distributed plant of the desert plains and lower mountains from southern British Columbia to western Montana, to Utah, and to California. The unusual orange color of the five overlapping orange petals make orange globe mallow stand out from other sagebrush steppe vegetation. Locally it is present in the Owyhee uplands, along the Owyhee River, and elsewhere. Orange globe mallow usually occurs as isolated or widely scattered plants.

Orange globe mallow is occasionally grown as an ornamental.

The genus name Sphaeralcea comes from the Greek sphaera meaning sphere or globe-like referring to the round segmented fruit and alcea meaning mallow. The mallow family has well known members including cotton, hibiscus, and hollyhock. The mallow family also contains prominent weedy species including, for us, velvetleaf (introduced from Asia) and common mallow also known as cheese weed (introduced from Europe).