# alkali mallow (*Malvella leprosa*) Alkali mallow is a bright and cheerful plant that grows in dry places. Its pretty flowers can be pink or white, and it loves sunny spots where it can soak up the warmth. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Desert ![alkali mallow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Malvellaleprosa.jpg&width=800) Photo: Anthony Valois and the National Park Service, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Malvellaleprosa.jpg) ## Appearance The alkali mallow is a low-growing plant with gray-green, fuzzy, fan-shaped leaves often having wavy edges. Its small, cup-shaped flowers are typically pale pink to lavender, sometimes white, blooming singly from leaf axils. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malvales - **Family:** Malvaceae - **Genus:** Malvella ## Interesting facts - Wow! Even though it looks delicate, alkali mallow can live for many years in tough, dry places! - Wow! Its tiny seeds can stay hidden in the soil for years, waiting for the perfect moment to sprout! - Wow! Native bees love its pretty flowers, collecting nectar and pollen for their homes! - Wow! The fuzzy leaves feel super soft, like a tiny velvet blanket protecting the plant! ## Special abilities - **Salt Survivor:** Alkali mallow can grow in salty soils by tolerating or filtering out excess salt, helping it thrive where others cannot. - **Fuzzy Shield:** Alkali mallow has tiny hairs on its leaves that reflect harsh sunlight and trap moisture, protecting it from dry conditions. - **Creeping Conqueror:** Alkali mallow can spread by creeping stems, allowing it to colonize open ground quickly even in tough environments. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Sonoran Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sonoran-bumble-bee) (*Bombus sonorus*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Depends on:** [Common Checkered-Skipper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-checkered-skipper) (*Pyrgus communis*) — caterpillar feeds on its leaves - **Pollinates:** Rusty Mallow Bee (*Melissodes rustica*) — specializes on mallow flowers ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they're safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify alkali mallow? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is alkali mallow? 10-30 cm ### How wide does alkali mallow spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on alkali mallow? 1-2 cm ### When does alkali mallow bloom? Spring to fall ### Is alkali mallow edible? No ### Is alkali mallow toxic? None ### What is alkali mallow's lifecycle? Perennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Alkali Mallow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/alkali-mallow)