Shrub · Sonoran native
Desert Globemallow
Sphaeralcea ambigua · Malvaceae
Also called: Apricot Mallow, Desert Mallow, Apricot Globemallow
Desert Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) is a very low-water shrub native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 24-40 in H x 24-36 in W (up to ~3 ft) in full sun, with a fast growth rate.
Desert Globemallow at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun; tolerates reflected heat.
- Mature size
- 24-40 in H x 24-36 in W (up to ~3 ft)
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Apricot to orange-red (most common in Arizona); variable forms can be pink, lavender, or white., Primarily spring (March-May), with intermittent rebloom through the year, especially after rains.
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 0-10 F (USDA zones 7-10); a tough, cold-tolerant desert perennial.
- Soil
- Thrives in poor, rocky, sandy or clay alkaline desert soils; demands sharp drainage and resents wet feet.
- Native range
- Native to the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of Arizona, southern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, and Sonora and Baja California, Mexico. The most drought-tolerant Sphaeralcea.
- Best used as
- Wildflower and pollinator plantings, Color accent, Mass planting / groundcover-scale drifts, Revegetation and naturalized desert gardens, Slope stabilization
- Wildlife
- Important nectar and pollen source for native bees (including specialist globemallow bees), butterflies, and other pollinators; a larval host for some butterflies. Foliage browsed by desert wildlife.
- Toxicity
- Not considered toxic; historically used by Indigenous peoples. Fine leaf and stem hairs can irritate skin and eyes in sensitive individuals.
How to grow Desert Globemallow in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Extremely drought tolerant once established; survives on rainfall in Tucson, with occasional deep summer irrigation (every 3-4 weeks) to extend bloom and freshness. Avoid frequent watering.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Needs no fertilizer; lean native soil is ideal. Rich or fertilized soil produces weak, floppy growth.
Pruning & care
Cut back hard (by roughly half to two-thirds) after the main spring bloom to refresh the plant, remove leggy stems, and encourage rebloom and a tidy mound. Shear spent flower stalks as needed.
Notes
Gray-green felty leaves on woody-based stems; short-lived perennial that reseeds readily. Tends to look ragged in summer heat and benefits greatly from a hard post-bloom cutback. A signature low-water wildflower for Tucson landscapes.
Sources: Arizona Native Plant Society (Plant Profile: Globemallow); Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (Sphaeralcea ambigua); Southwest Desert Flora; ASU (M. Martin) Desert Landscape Plants database