# apricot mallow (*Sphaeralcea ambigua*) Apricot mallow is a bright and cheerful flower that loves to grow in sunny places. Its lovely orange and peach colors attract butterflies and bees, making gardens even more beautiful! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Desert ![apricot mallow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Desert-Globemalllow.jpg&width=800) Photo: Sue in az, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Desert-Globemalllow.jpg) ## Appearance The apricot mallow has vibrant, cup-shaped flowers in shades of orange to peach, often with crinkled petals. Its soft, lobed leaves are covered in fine, star-shaped hairs, giving it a slightly fuzzy appearance, which helps distinguish it from other mallow species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Malvales - **Family:** Malvaceae - **Genus:** Sphaeralcea ## Interesting facts - Butterflies flock to its bright orange flowers! - It can survive scorching desert heat! - Its fuzzy leaves feel like velvet! - Native Americans used its roots for medicine. ## Special abilities - **Desert Thirst-Quencher:** apricot mallow has deep taproots that help it access water far underground, enabling it to survive harsh desert droughts. - **Sun Shield:** apricot mallow has fuzzy leaves covered in tiny hairs that help it reflect sunlight, protecting itself from intense desert heat. - **Self-Seeder:** apricot mallow can produce many seeds that easily disperse and sprout, helping it reproduce widely in its environment. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 2.5-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to Fall - **Edible:** Yes - **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 - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — visits for nectar - **Eaten by:** [Horned Lark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/horned-lark) (*Eremophila alpestris*) — eats its tiny seeds ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [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. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [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. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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 flowers without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify apricot 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 apricot mallow? 30-100 cm ### How wide does apricot mallow spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on apricot mallow? 2.5-5 cm ### When does apricot mallow bloom? Spring to Fall ### Is apricot mallow edible? Yes ### Is apricot mallow toxic? None ### What is apricot mallow's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Little Italy](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/little-italy) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Rodman Mountains](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rodman-mountains) — California, US · Natural Landmark - [Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/navajo-nation-zoological-and-botanical-park) — Arizona, US · Zoo - [Selig Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/selig-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Goldfield Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/goldfield-historic-district) — Nevada, US · Historic District - [Skidoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/skidoo) — California, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see apricot mallow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/apricot-mallow) ## 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: [Apricot Mallow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/apricot-mallow)